Zimbabwe on Saturday recorded 40 new coronavirus cases bringing the total number of officially known cases in the country to 982.
The local cases include 10 health care workers from Mpilo hospital in Bulawayo and 3 other health workers from a quarantine facility in Matabeleland South.
5 of the local cases are contacts of known confirmed cases, while investigations are underway to establish the source of infection for the remaining 25.
The cases also include 320 recoveries and 18 deaths.
The number of fatalities rose to 18 after five new deaths, 3 at a community level and 2 at a facility level, were recorded in Harare and Bulawayo provinces.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care reports that the deaths were detected during a routine post mortem exercise as part of the ministry’s coronavirus surveillance. Reads the statement in part:
Today we regret to report 5 deaths, 3 at the community level, and 2 at facility level. These deaths occurred in Harare and Bulawayo province and were detected during routine post mortem as part of our COVID-19 surveillance.
The ministry added that it was awaiting full post mortem reports of the direct causes of death.
