HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster on Tuesday as he announced a raft of measures to mitigate an expected outbreak of the new coronavirus.

Independence Day celebrations scheduled for April 18 and the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair due to be held from April 21-25 have been postponed indefinitely, Mnangagwa said in an address to the nation. Bulawayo was due to host both events.

Large gatherings of over 100 people have been banned, including church services, entertainment and sporting events.

Mnangagwa said schools, which are expected to close in two weeks, would however remain open.

“The pandemic has reached our region and we now have to escalate our national response,” Mnangagwa said. “Above all, we must re-adjust our lives and behaviour including foregoing certain fixtures, activities and practices we had grown accustomed to in order to keep the pandemic at bay.
“The government has decided to postpone, curtail or cancel public events, gatherings and activities. In that respect, the government has postponed the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, all national independence celebrations previously planned, and pending international sporting fixtures until the threat of coronavirus recedes.”

Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans to “join hands working with the rest of the world in fighting this virus even though it has not yet crossed our borders.”

He added: “We must have a national response plan. Humanity is at risk and stands at hazardous crossroads.”

Zimbabwe maintains that it has not had a positive test for coronavirus, although officials admit that less than two dozen such tests have been carried out.

As at 8AM on Tuesday, the coronavirus – first detected last December in the Chinese city of Wuhan – had killed 7,989 people in over 120 countries with over 198,716 infected.

The virus, which has flu-like symptoms, so far has no vaccine.

Several of Zimbabwe’s neighbours, including South Africa, Namibia, the DRC, the Seychelles and the Kingdom of eSwatini have reported confirmed cases of coronavirus, which scientists say has a higher kill rate in elderly people and those with immune systems compromised by underlying medical conditions like cancer, diabetes and HIV.