WCOZ Situation Report
ZIMBABWE LOCKDOWN: DAY 499

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10 August 2021

499 days of the COVID-19 Lockdown, and as of 9 th of August 2021, the Ministry of Health and Child Care
reported that, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases had increased to 116 853 after 526 new cases all
local cases, were recorded. The highest case tally was recorded in Harare with 172 cases. The hotspots
updates are as follows; Mashonaland West Province – Hurungwe (5), Kariba (2), Makonde (6), Mashonaland
Central – Bindura (4), Mazowe (6). Mashonaland East – Marondera (30), Mutoko (15). Masvingo Province –
Chiredzi (14), Masvingo (14), Midland Province-Kwekwe (4), Harare Province-Harare (68).
We note that the Hospitalisation rate as at 15:00hrs on 8 August 2021 was 547 hospitalised cases: 50 New
Admissions, 86 Asymptomatic cases, 362 mild-to-moderate cases, 77 severe cases and 22 cases in Intensive
Care Units. (Providence, Arundel, Wilkins, Mbuma, Nkayi, Matebeleland South and Montague did not report)
Active cases went down to 22 724. The total number of recoveries went up to 90 210 increasing by 1 381
recoveries. The recovery rate goes up marginally to 77% from 76%. A total of 33 210 people received their 1st
doses of vaccine. The cumulative number of the 1st dose vaccinated now stands at 1 897 414. A total of 21
747 recipients received their second dose bringing the cumulative number of 2nd dose recipients to 1 044 365.
The death toll went up to 3 919 after 19 new deaths were recorded.

Critical Emerging Issues
1. Protection of prisoners and detainees from the Delta driven third wave of COVID-19
We highlight the need for increased transparency and accountability for COVID-19 reporting, treatment and
management for detainees and prison population. We are concerned by insufficient measures to protect this
vulnerable population during the third wave of the pandemic in Zimbabwe which is driven by the highly
transmissible and severe Delta variant. We are concerned by the fact that the lockdown has resulted in a lock-
out of the families and friends who are the sole support system for inmates and detainees. As such, we note
that limited visitation has meant very little has gone towards ensuring that adequate effort is directed
towards the protection of this vulnerable population. We are concerned of the reports of COVID-19 deaths or
transmission of COVID-19 amongst detainees and prisoners due to the poor conditions of the prisons and
holding facilities in the country. Whilst we note some efforts have been made in addressing the spread of
COVID-19 in this key population, these have not been verified and supported by other mechanisms to ensure
the standards are adequately met and consistently maintained.

• We continue to call the Government to address the status of COVID-19 in prisons and detainee’
  populations.
• We urge full accounting of the treatment and management of COVID-19 within prison and detention
  facilities.
• We recommend gender disaggregated data on inmates tested and treated for COVID-19 within the
  prison population throughout Zimbabwe.
• We continue to call for a full public accounting of the management and response to COVID-19 in the
  key population.
• We call for the update of access to vaccines for prisoners and detained persons
• We reiterate our calls for a commission of enquiry in the Zimbabwean response to the COVID-19
  pandemic.

2. Ensuring Vaccine Access and Equity in Zimbabwe
We highlight concerns regarding the reporting on the data of the vaccination-drive. . We are concerned by the
lack of publication of data in regards to districts that have received support, in particular, the rural and health-
centres and disadvantaged communities. We stress that the status of the national vaccination programme,
whilst meeting milestones must also be responsive to the needs and expectations of local Zimbabweans and
their experiences. We are aware of efforts to target border communities directly however, reports from our
networks, indicate significant pockets in those communities still being left behind.

We are concerned by the lack of publication of the gender disaggregated data by district to advise the nation
and the health sector at large, on key areas of focus and support, in order to ensure vaccine equity within the
country. We further emphasise the need to interrogate clear gender dynamics arising from the chaos and
congestion at vaccination centres which appear to be leaving women behind due to rigidities and inflexibilities
in the system.
In the same breadth, we are continually concerned that despite the procurement process of vaccines being
much advertised, the realities on the ground continue to raise inconsistencies in supplies and shortages of
vaccines in communities.

• We call for a national report with clear gender disaggregated data on vaccine distribution and access
  per District
• We urge the publication of data in regards to Districts that have received support, in particular the
  rural and health centres and disadvantaged communities.
• We call for announcement and implementation of measures to ensure that border communities and
  hard to reach, remote communities receive expanded access to vaccines.

Outstanding issues
1. Support to vaccinated persons reporting difficulties with adverse effects
We note with concern the poor levels of support of vaccinated persons reporting reactions to the vaccines
vaccine that are difficult to understand and to cope with. We are concerned by the lack of support and
substantively question the ability of the Government to track and monitor persons who have been vaccinated
going through adverse effects. We are even more concerned by growing community reports that indicate that
even when persons arrive at the second jab and report the side effects, the health care personnel do not
respond or engage the vaccine candidate on this matter, leaving patients out in the cold.
We are concerned at the reports of the side effects as some of them are very severe and have significant
negative health effects that are going unaddressed and unsupported.

• We call for support to citizens who have side effects at the actual vaccine centres
• We call for change in protocols for administration of the second jab to persons reporting significant
  adverse effects for the vaccine
• We call for publication of treatment and management protocols for to be expected side effects