ZIMBABWE is seeing a rise in hospital admissions of patients with mild to moderate cases of Covid-19, an indication that some people may be at greater risk of severe illness.
The terms generally used to classify Covid-19 illness are asymptomatic (where people do not show or present symptoms) followed by mild, moderate, severe and critical.
According to the most recent countywide statistics from April 1 to June 8 2021, there is an increase of people who are admitted with mild to moderate symptoms of Covid-19.
Numbers started creeping up after May 23, 2021 and were highest recorded onJune 6, 2021.
Health experts said most people who have a mild form of the illness will show symptoms such as high temperature, a dry cough, tiredness, loss of sense or taste or smell, feeling slightly breathless, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and diarrhoea
There are a few symptoms that are less common, including runny nose, sore or red eyes, vomiting, diarrhoea and a skin rash. Low mood can also occur, as it does in many viral illnesses.
Most mild cases will stay mild in severity, however, people with mild illness can take a turn for the worse, sometimes quickly, and this is more likely in vulnerable groups.
People with moderate form of Covid-19 are more breathless and tend to have an increased heart rate.
In addition to symptoms they may have with a mild illness, they may also experience higher temperatures, feeling breathless when doing moderate exercise, soreness from coughing, a more persistent cough, a headache and tiredness.
As seen from the graph, it is important to note that the more severe forms of illness are far less common than the less severe forms.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care said as of June 20, 2021, active cases of Covid-19 countrywide are 2 923 and the recovery rate is now 89 percent.
Total number of people recorded with Covid-19 is now 41 779.
People who have been fully vaccinated with both vaccine jabs are now 435 668 while 703 065 have received their first dose.
Places such as Kariba, Karoi, Makonde, Kwekwe are under localised lockdowns while hotspot areas include Karoi, Chirundu, Magunje, Mhangura, Chinhoyi, Chidamoyo in Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Chiredzi and Mt Darwin in Mashonaland Central
In Bulawayo the hotspots are Nkulumane, Emakhandeni and Northern suburbs.
