Twenty-one health workers in Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, according to the latest Ministry of Health update.

The workers had come into contact with confirmed coronavirus cases and had been in isolation.

It comes days after nurses unions called a strike over poor pay and a shortage of personal protective gear.

This week has seen a dramatic spike in confirmed cases. Ninety-eight were recorded on Wednesday, 51 of them from Bulawayo.

On Thursday, 41 people from across the country tested positive for the virus. In all, Zimbabwe has recorded 926 cases.

A partial lockdown remains in place amid warnings the figures could still rise during the current winter season.