HARARE, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabweans were urged to take vaccines against COVID-19 amid surging cases, state broadcaster ZBC reported on Monday.

Two highly contagious COVID-19 variants -- the Beta variant first detected in South Africa and the Delta variant first reported in India -- dominated COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe, the report said.

"We urge our people to continue following the guidelines, but most importantly people should get vaccinated," Raiva Simbi, Deputy Director of Laboratory Services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, was quoted by ZBC as saying.

"If ever the country is to return to normalcy, then we should all get vaccinated," public health analyst Itai Rusike was quoted as saying.

Zimbabwe has as of Monday recorded 46,442 cases and 1,736 deaths, according to the statistics from the health ministry.