HARARE – Police have arrested 52 people who attended an illegal New Year’s Eve musical concert in Mbare and are now pursuing music promoter DJ Fantan over the potential Covid-19 super spreader attended by thousands of people.
Video footage showing crowded revelers partying with little or no regard for coronavirus protocols sparked a national outcry with many accusing the government and police of failing to enforce lockdown measures.
“We are aware of the incident of an alleged unsanctioned gathering in Mbare on New Year’s Eve and investigations have been instituted,” the police said in a statement posted on Twitter Saturday.
“So far 52 people have been arrested and we are looking for DJ Fantan, who operates a recording studio at Block 14 Matapi Flats and David House Entertainment operators for openly defying the government’s Covid-19 measures on health, safety, and security.”
Countrywide, 2321 people were arrested on New Year’s day for breaking lockdown measures.
The crackdown comes as Zimbabwe is experiencing a rapid increase in both coronavirus infections and fatalities with Dorothy Shamuyarira, the widow of Nathan Shamuyarira being the latest to succumb to the respiratory illness on Saturday.
“It appears members of the public are taking the Covid-19 pandemic for granted and are no longer taking precautionary measures,” the police worried.
On New Year’s day, the country recorded 6 deaths and 217 new infections, pushing cumulative cases to 14,084 and deaths to 369.
Health experts warn the situation will worsen for Zimbabwe post-festive holidays, with government spokesperson Nick Ndabaningi Mangwana saying “we are overrun by this virus.”
“We hear UK beds are overwhelmed by Covid19. Well, that’s them. They say in SA, hospital admission thresholds are now quite high- that’s them. But, let me tell you about our own situation, don’t catch the virus if you can avoid it. We are being overwhelmed and overrun by this virus,” Mangwana said in a weekend tweet.
