Luveve Member of Parliament (MP) Stella Ndlovu has urged Bulawayo residents in her constituency to stay away from funerals in light of the rising Covid-19 cases being reported in the country.
Zimbabwe, which is currently under a stiffer level 4 lockdown in which gatherings are prohibited with businesses only operating from 8 am to 1530 hours, has for the past two weeks been registering a surge in daily Covid-19 cases.
Zimbabwe as at 11 July 2021 has 67 765 cases including 2 185 deaths.
Despite Bulawayo having since been declared one of the hotspots for the pandemic, a number of residents continue to disregard lockdown protocols including attending funeral gatherings.
The second largest city has so far recorded a total of 8236 cases of Covid-19 including 329 deaths.
“Let us try by all means not to go to funerals,” pleaded the legislator in a widely circulated audio.
“All funerals are now treated as Covid cases. Let us convey our condolences to those who have lost relatives using phones. If we are to go there and sing and comfort them we transmit Covid to the bereaved because we meet many people where we come from.”
She further said: “It is better to protect the bereaved by not going to where they are, taking Covid to them. Only 30 people are permitted at a funeral gathering and that 30 caters only for close relatives. There is no need for me as the MP to be there as well in that 30 because they might want to go with me [to the cemetery] resulting in some relatives being left behind. Let’s allow only close relatives to go to the cemetery to bury their departed relatives.”
Ndlovu said Zimbabweans were now living in difficult and trying times because of the pandemic.
“We are therefore advised on how to carry ourselves around during these times,” she said. “Firstly, let’s remain indoors if there is no need to go out. People are dying, people are falling sick. Let’s go and get the vaccine at the various vaccination points.”
She also emphasized the need for residents to always wash and sanitise hands.
