THE number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 14, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has said.

In a statement on Saturday evening, the Ministry said the latest case was from Bulawayo. Bulawayo now has two cases, including a 79-year old man who died on 4 April.

“The Ministry would like to report that today, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory tested 84 samples. The samples were received from four provinces, Bulawayo (58), Harare (23), Mashonaland East (2) and Mashonaland Central (1). Of the 79 results available at the time of print, one was positive for Covid-19.”

The 14 positive cases include three deaths. The Provincial Medical Director for Matabeleland North, Dr Purgie Chimberengwa, said the second Covid-19 positive case from Bulawayo was a man whose samples were first collected when he was in Tsholotsho, where he had tested negative in the first round of testing.

“In Matabeleland North, as of today (Saturday) we have managed to test a total number of 13 people in the province, 11 were tested in Hwange, one in Bubi and one in Tsholotsho, both the Bubi and Tsholotsho cases have a travel history to South Africa.

“Our Tsholotsho case got to 21 days and the guidelines say when you have been isolated for 21 days, there is need to be tested two more times, 24 hours apart. Unfortunately the man tested positive this time round and we are seized with the matter as we need to continue managing him as he continues in isolation,” he said.