Own Correspondent|Police have revealed that more than 5 200 people have so far been arrested for defying lockdown regulations which are meant to avert the spread of Covid-19.

The figure of arrested persons is ten times more than that of people who have been tested for the virus in the country since its outbreak in China in December last year.

Health professionals have sounded alarm over the country’s limited capacity to test people for the coronavirus, warning that a lack of critical equipment and infrastructure shortages may result in many cases going undetected.

Zimbabwe reported its first case on March 20 and so far, it has tested only 600 people for COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus. The country – which has so far been having only one COVID-19 test centre, in the capital, Harare – has confirmed 17 cases, including three deaths.

At least 1,8 million people have been infected with the coronavirus globally while more than 115 000 have been killed.

In an interview, National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said a total of 515 people were arrested on Saturday alone while he said his office was still compiling arrests made on Sunday and yesterday as they were public holidays and some officers were not on duty.

He said some people continued to disregard the lockdown orders as parties and public drinking continued, while some people continued to move about unnecessarily.

“We have arrested a total of 5 226 people so far from the commencement of the 21-day lockdown period for defiance of the gazetted orders. Most of the offences have been linked to road traffic offences, operating businesses without authorisation during this period, unnecessary movement, liquor related, illegal gatherings such as parties among others,” he said.

“On Saturday alone, we arrested 515 people and more arrests were made on Sunday and today (yesterday). However, I will be able to give more statistics on Sunday and Monday arrests tomorrow (today),” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.

Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa warned the lack of testing kits could spell disaster.

“A disaster is loading in Zimbabwe. Lives are at risk. We must invest in testing and tracking. A lockdown without testing, tracking and isolation is useless,” Chamisa said in a Twitter post.

“Rwanda has tested 1,500 people in two days and South Africa has tested 68,000 so far. Zimbabwe has ‘tested’ 600 people only over the past month.”