Zimbabwe is on high alert for COVID-19 following reports that neighbouring Botswana has identified new Omicron sub-variants of the killer virus over the past month, a senior health official said on Tuesday.
National COVID-19 coordinator Agnes Mahomva said the Harare authorities have activated an emergency response mechanism by launching a fresh drive to vaccinate more people against the virus and tightening the screening of visitors to the country.
“Measures have also been put in place at all ports of entry to screen people coming into the country for COVID-19 as many Zimbabweans in the diaspora are expected to return home for Christmas and New Year holidays,” Mahomva told the state-run Chronicle daily.
The heightened alert level in Zimbabwe comes days after Botswana’s Ministry of Health reported that two new Omicron sub-variants had been detected in the country.
It said scientists from the country were still studying the new sub-variants to determine whether or not they are deadlier than previous ones.
JN/APA