Health experts have urged members of the public to observe the available COVID-19 protocols in the wake of the new Indian coronavirus variant.
The government on Wednesday confirmed detecting cases of a new Coronavirus variant that emerged in India, known as B.1.617.
The first case of the variant was detected on Tuesday in Kwekwe, a city in the country’s Midlands province.
Zimbabwe is enforcing mandatory quarantine for all travellers from India.
Public health experts who spoke to ZTN said Zimbabweans should observe the available COVID-19 protocols to avoid a rise in infections, in the wake of this new variant.
Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) executive director Itai Rusike said:
The people of Zimbabwe should remain vigilant; it is also equally important that the authorities enforce the regulations.
Zimbabwe Medical Association President Dr Francis Chirowa said:
As soon as you identify someone who is infected they need to be isolated.
The B.1.617 variant is one of the factors driving the current crisis in India and neighbouring Nepal.
The variant is believed more contagious than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, but there’s no clear evidence that it causes more severe disease or more deaths.