Africa’s top public health official says the continent has seen a 20-percent decrease in confirmed cases in the past week, with 23 of 54 countries reporting a sustained decrease in new cases in the past couple of weeks.
Zimbabwe.
The country now has 6,388 cases of the Coronavirus with Harare having the highest caseload of 2 532, followed by Bulawayo with 1 271 and Matabeleland South with 638 cases. The Midlands region has 530 cases recorded so far.
The total number of deaths in Zimbabwe is currently sitting at 195 with Harare having the highest deaths with 110, Bulawayo having the second highest number of deaths with 31. Manicaland has the third highest number of deaths recorded with 19.
At least 87 mine employees have tested Covid-19 positive across the country. Statistics from the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) revealed that 51 miners at Unki Mine in Shurugwi, Midlands, tested Covid-19 positive, 30 at How Mine, five at the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) and one miner at the Hwange Colliery Company.
Covid-19 Donations.
The mining sector has played a pivotal role in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. Most organisations have heeded calls made by the government to partner with them in fighting the disease. Companies like Mimosa, Zimplats and Unki Mines have donated towards fighting Covid-19.
Zimasco.
Zimasco and Sable Chemicals donated an assortment of medical equipment worth US$10 000. Both companies have business interests in Kwekwe.
They donated medical equipment including beds, medicines, trollies, computers, solar heaters, and air conditioners among others.
Unki Mine.
Unki mine donated a newly equipped ten-bed intensive care unit (ICU) to Gweru provincial hospital, as part of its efforts to limit the impact of Covid-19 at the workplace and in host communities.
The donation includes ventilators, ICU beds, oxygen equipment and the installation of, personal protective equipment, multiparameter monitors and other medical equipment.
Unki mine had previously built and equipped a casualty ward at the hospital and refurbished the laundry room and children’s ward. The establishment of the ICU forms part of Unki’s $2-million investment, to date, in Covid-19 measures.
Further, the mine’s polymerase chain reaction testing laboratory, which was recently licensed to do Covid-19 tests, is being used to test Covid-19 samples from employees, contractors and the Shurugwi district hospital.
In addition, Unki has provided food support to vulnerable groups and drilled and equipped 17 boreholes to improve access to water in the Shurugwi district.
South Africa.
Confirmed cases in South Africa continue to go down with caseloads mostly below 5,000 for the past one week.
The total number of cases is now at 620,132 and 13,743 deaths have been recorded so far. 533,935 recoveries have been recorded which brings the recovery rate to 86.10%.
The 7 day average of cases in South Africa shows a significant decline in the average number of positive cases since the peak in July.
Royal Bafokeng Platinum Mine.
As of the 20th of August, the mining sector had recorded 140 deaths out of 12 617 positive cases. The platinum sector has been hit the hardest with 60 deaths so far and the gold sector has 52 deaths recorded.
The mining industry has undertaken intensive efforts in addressing COVID-19 at operations, in communities, in province of operation and nationally.
RB Plat converted its unused Maseve Mine, South Shaft Change House in the North West Province, into a 200-bed Field Hospital to provide initial COVID-19 medical treatment to its employees and communities.
The company has also committed to pay for the upkeep of the facility including laundry and the laundry workers.
The organisation has also worked with local stakeholders and identified the needy and vulnerable members of the community and support with food hampers, care packages, gadgets which may support the education sector, business support and community screening.
De Beers .
Since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic, De Beers Group has donated more than $5 million across its four producer partner countries like Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and South Africa to assist women’s shelters and support organizations in responding to an increase in gender-based violence resulting from the COVID-19 situation.
The donation will be split equally across Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and South Africa. It adds to the contributions; De Beers Group has already announced in its host countries to support the COVID-19 response, which exceeds $5 million across monetary and in-kind support, spanning the procurement of medical supplies, logistical support, vulnerability assessment support plans, food security for vulnerable households, water supply to communities, COVID-19 awareness and education, and local clinical support.
