A police water cannon sprays disinfectant over residential flats during a 21-day nationwide lockdown called to help curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Harare, Zimbabwe, April 3, 2020. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo
National Police Spokesperson Paul Nyathi said Tuesday that defiance against lockdown regulations has seen 2,191 people being arrested since Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a national lockdown.
“The number includes some people who were violating the Liquor Act, operating businesses that are not exempted, illegally transporting members of the public without being cleared, loitering without valid reasons and various crimes under the Miscellaneous Act,” he said.
Nyathi said police have scaled up awareness campaigns to encourage the public to heed the government’s measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“What is apparent is that the public is taking for granted the messages that are being sent to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There are those who think that because the virus has not seriously impacted on the country they will not be affected. They are not observing social distancing and self-isolation as prescribed to prevent the spread of the virus. We encourage them to heed the government’s measures to prevent the spread of the virus,” Nyathi said.
Zimbabwe is under a 21-day lockdown which started last Monday to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Citizens are expected to stay at home, except for essential movements to seek health services, buy food, medicines, and other essential services.
The country has so far recorded ten positive cases of COVID-19, with one person succumbing to the disease.
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