National

Zimbabwe records two cases of Mpox

Published

7 months ago

October 13, 2024

BY BAYANDA NKATHA

Zimbabwe has confirmed two cases of Mpox, a rare viral infection formerly known as Monkeypox, according to Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora.

The cases were reported in Harare and Mberengwa, and both patients are in stable condition, receiving appropriate care.

The first case involves an 11-year-old boy who traveled to South Africa in August and returned on September 10. He developed symptoms on September 23 but is no longer infectious and is being cared for in isolation. Seven contacts have been identified and are being monitored.

The second case is a 24-year-old man who traveled to Tanzania on September 14 and returned on September 21. He developed symptoms five days later and is also no longer infectious, with contact tracing underway.

Minister Mombeshora assured the public that the situation is under control and there is no need to panic.

“The Ministry of Health and Child Care wishes to inform the nation that Zimbabwe now has two confirmed cases of Mpox, one in Harare and another in Mberengwa. Both cases are in isolation at home and are receiving appropriate care. Both cases are stable and recovering,” he said.

He encouraged anyone with symptoms to report to the nearest health facility immediately. “Preparedness and response plan is already in place, and activation of incident management systems is done,” he added.

Mpox is a rare viral infection caused by the Mpox virus, which is endemic in Central and West Africa.

It spreads through contact with people, animals, or materials infected with the virus. Symptoms include fever, rash, headache, muscle and backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern on August 14.

Africa has reported 7 525 confirmed cases of Mpox and 32 deaths so far.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

1 month ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

2 months ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

3 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.