Zimbabwe is yet to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) conditions for the lifting of the Covid-19 lockdown, a government official has said.

In a media brief, Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the situation on the ground does not permit the lifting of the lockdown.

“As the total lockdown, Level 4, came to an end, the obtaining situation on the ground showed that Zimbabwe was yet to meet the conditions for  lifting the lockdown that had been announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO),” said Mutsvangwa

She said among the conditions was the need to have systems that tests and treat Covid-19.

“Key among these conditions was the need to have in place health systems that are capable to test, isolate, treat and trace every contact. However, as considerable work had been undertaken, the lockdown was eased to level 3 where Government allowed the mining sector to resume or scale up operations,” she said.

On the easing of lockdown regulations to level 2 which has opened the door for industry and commerce to resume operations, Mutsvangwa said they will have to meet laid down regulations contained in the Statutory Instrument 99 of 2020.

“First and foremost, those who are now allowed to resume operations are businesses in the formal commercial and industrial sector. What is recognized as formal are businesses that hold a shop license or other license from a local authority and operate the business in question from a specified premise.”

On Saturday, President Mnangagwa announced the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown to level 2 where only Industry and Commerce is allowed to operate.

According to WHO, nations can lift lockdowns only when they have met six conditions that is; disease transmission is under control, health systems are able to “detect, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact”, hot spot risks are minimized in vulnerable places, such as nursing homes, chools, workplaces and other essential places have established preventive measures, the risk of importing new cases “can be managed” as well as communities are fully educated, engaged and empowered to live under a new normal.