Zimbabwean prez extends 6-week lockdown by 2 weeks

Harare, Feb 17 : Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended the six-week nationwide lockdown by a further two weeks, citing the need to further reduce Covid-19 cases and deaths.
He, however, increased business operating hours from seven to nine and a half hours per day, night curfew hours were shortened from 12 hours to nine and a half hours while staff levels in government have been increased from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
The president said schools will remain closed for the duration of the lockdown, and maintained a ban on inter-city and inter-provincial travel.
Social gatherings remain banned, the judiciary will only open for urgent cases while the number of people at funerals remains restricted at 30, the president said.
He said private companies and those in the informal sector seeking to open should test all staff and satisfy World Health Organization guidelines.
“While the national lockdown goals are now within sight, the numbers of active cases and deaths, however, are still very high,” he said.