Own Correspondent|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has yet again failed to lead by example as he appealed to Zimbabweans to stay at home in the wake of the ravaging Coronavirus outbreak while he continues to do the opposite.

Speaking on his return from an unprecedented flight to Namibia on Saturday, Mnangagwa told Zimbabweans to stay where they are and not undertake any travels leaving the country confused on his Coronavirus warnings that he himself fails to abide with.

“We appeal to all Zimbabweans to restrict their movements. We can only move for essential and critical reasons. Otherwise we recommend that our communities both urban and rural, remain where they are and not travel. The spread of this pandemic is so quick and fast, so we are appealing to our people to avoid travelling. Let us keep at home and only move either to buy food or medicines. I will discuss with my Minister of Health to hear the circumstances surrounding these two cases in order to take corrective measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.”

Health and Child Care Minister Dr Moyo had announced earlier the second case of Covid-19 after a man in Harare tested positive.

He said authorities have heightened surveillance and efforts to track and monitor all people suspected to have come into contact with those affected.

In a statement he said the latest case involved a 30-year-old male patient who is a resident of Harare who had travelled to New York in the United States of America on 29 February and returned home on 9 March via Johannesburg.

“Today (yesterday) the 21st of March 2020, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare confirmed yet another case of Covid-19 which brings to two the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Zimbabwe.

“He started exhibiting mild symptoms (flue like illness) on the 12th of March 2020 which progressively got worse on 19 March 2020. He consulted his doctor who advised him to self-isolate at home.

“The doctor alerted the local Covid-19 Rapid Response team that immediately went to assess him and recommended that he continues with the self-isolation at home,” said Dr Moyo.

Prior to his travel to Namibia, both Zimbabwe and Namibia had declared national emergencies on Tuesday as the coronavirus began to spread in the region.

“The pandemic has reached our region and we have to escalate our response,” Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said in a speech in Harare, the capital.

Screening of travelers will be intensified and some borders will be closed, he said. Mnangagwa appealed to foreigners planning to visit Zimbabwe to postpone their plans for at least 30 days and “unnecessary” travel by Zimbabweans outside the country is prohibited.

The government has also postponed celebrations of the country’s 40th anniversary of independence, scheduled for the second-biggest city of Bulawayo, and banned gatherings of more than a 100 people by churches or at social events.

Namibia has closed schools for 30 days and banned all mass gatherings, imposed restrictions on all foreign travel by nationals and advised people who returned from abroad to self-quarantine.

A day after his address, Mnangagwa went on to gather thousands of his ZANU PF supporters for a rally in Manicaland province putting their lives on serious risk of the deadly virus.