Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday announced the relaxation of the COVID-19 lockdown from Level 4 to Level 2, unbanning intercity travel, and allowing businesses to operate from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.

Prior to the relaxation, intercity travel had been banned since Level 4 was imposed in June 2021, while businesses were only allowed to operate between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., as the country fought a surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths.

A curfew which had been imposed from 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. has been reduced to subsist between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Mnangagwa said public gatherings for up to 100 people will now be allowed subject to the observance of the World Health Organization protocols relating to social distancing, sanitizing and masking.

Prior to this, gatherings were only allowed at funerals but with a limit of 30 people.

The government decided to maintain the decongestion of offices at 50 percent of ordinary capacity.

Mnangagwa, who urged citizens to get vaccinated to prevent more infections and deaths, said the new measures would be reviewed after two weeks.

As of Monday, the country had recorded 125,671 COVID-19 cases, including 4,493 deaths.