Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu has cautioned that a new wave of COVID-19 seems to be on the horizon and all citizens must abide by the health guidelines put in place by experts.
According to a statement released to the media by his Press Aide, the President has observed with dismay poor adherence to prescribed public health measures that has contributed to the sudden increase and geographical spread in the country in the last two weeks.
The President says it is still mandatory that all citizens must wear masks, maintain Social distancing, avoid shaking hands, and wash hands frequently with soap. The President has noted with concern a generalized spread of COVID-19 with North-Western; Muchinga; Copperbelt; Central: Lusaka and Southern provinces most affected.
President Lungu has also observed with concern “The laxity towards covid-19 guidelines by people patronizing bars, musical concerts and other social gatherings.”
The President has since made a clarion call aligned to the Public Health Act CAP. 295 of the Laws of Zambia and COVID-19 associated Statutory Instruments Nos. 21, 22 and 62 of 2020 that
- All citizens must wear masks and practice good hand hygiene when in public places and gatherings. Masks must be worn correctly if they are to provide the intended protection.
- Â All public facilities and hosts of public gatherings must ensure the provision of handwashing facilities or alcohol-based hand sanitizers and enforce the use of masks in these facilities.
- The local authorities will facilitate disinfection of conveyances and public places including markets, bus stops and stations, shopping malls, places of worship, schools, and office places; the owners of the public vehicles are directed to ensure passengers wear masks and are provided with hand hygiene facilities before embarking onto the vehicles. Drivers flouting the rules will have their licenses revoked.
- Enforcement of public health measures in bars must be in place E conditions for opening bars must be adhered to. Failure to adhere to these measures may lead to the withdrawal of trading and liquor.
- There will soon be re-introduced restrictions on numbers of persons gathering
at events including, weddings. funerals, traditional ceremonies, music concerts, and holiday festivities. - All leaders, be it traditional, religious, political, or civil are called upon to lead their followers in adherence to public health measures.
The President says the threat of a second wave in Zambia is becoming a concern considering what is going on globally and regionally.
“The responsibility remains with us to quickly curtail this outbreak and prevent a ‘second wave’. The number of requests for public gatherings is concerning as we note increased laxity to the observance of public health measures such as wearing masks and hand hygiene. We have further guided for increased enforcement of public health measures in all public places,” the President said.
On the state of the pandemic globally and nationally, the cumulative number of COvID-19 cases reported globally is now 73,213,749 including 1,628,480 deaths and 51,356,570 recoveries as of 08:30 AM 15th December 2020.
Cumulative cases in Africa were 2,404,414 including 56,740 deaths and 2,033,838 recoveries.
“In Zambia, 106 new cases of COVID-19 out of 3,759 tests conducted in our Laboratories during the last 24 hours were detected. The cumulative number of cases in the country is now therefore 18,428. The 106 cases have been recorded among 12 districts including Kabwe, Lusaka, Chibombo, Kalumbila, Serenje.
ltezhi tezhi, Liteta, Kasama, Nchelenge, Chinsali, Kaoma, and Sesheke identified through routine screening, healthcare facility screening, pre-travel screening, and a contact to a known case in Solwez, ” the President announced.
President Lungu also announced that the number of hospitalizations is on the increase. Six new cases were hospitalized bringing the total admissions countrywide to 16 with six on Oxygen support.
“Following the discharge of 78 patients, the cumulative number of recoveries from COVID-19 nationally is 17,475. We, unfortunately, lost a patient to COVID-19 in Levy Mwanawasa isolation Center bringing the death toll to 368, with 123 due to COVID-19, and 245 associated COVID-19 deaths, ” the President said.
He added, “My Government is watching carefully the situation and evolution of COVID-19 as well as adherence to the public health measures by the public. A Worsening situation will leave us with no choice but to institute stricter public health interventions.”
You go around campaigning.
The masks in Zambia are worn as necklaces, I was in Shoprite the other day, both shoprite employees, managers and shoppers were just wearing these things around their necks or chins, with noses and mouths very exposed ,and I was wearing my masks correctly, so if these things are not worn for the intended purpose, why not just leave them home
Imfula pa kuya…..
Any bemba person to help me finish and explain what it means.
Mwanza Dominique ilasha yaonaula
Mwanza Dominique epo yonaula ifisabo
” Epo ifwaya ukumoneka kwati yalibomba sana”
Ngaba who are going round attracting huge crowds in name of mobilization, chalaba shani????
Says the president whose gov’t was very neglectful and lax about cholera conditions. Lungu you can’t be serious on this yet you were flat footed on the other.
???????????…….. Aba bena Kuwayawaya fye!. This type of Leadership is not suitable for a developing country like Zambia otherwise the gap between the poor and the rich will keep widening. Zambia at the moment needs a transformational Leader to turnaround its economic fortunes. President Lungu is not such a one… Am sorry!
Early morning Jokes?
A president who only issues statements when communicating important issues to citizens but always finds time to visit provinces to campaign.. This president is a missed call..
You just want to put stricter measures on the opposition while you are busy campaigning depriving othet citizens the right to campaign.Help Lusaka residents with proper drainages not ivo vama proper roads.Mwaba shani kanshi imwe ba mudala???
Mable Chishimba I think you are right…this is just a ka plan.
Mable Chishimba Takapite
A second wave of ubufufuntungu.
Mwashibukeni ba Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
Kabafikepo mukwai.
Oh… There’s a second wave nangu balekopafye as usual.
Bushe mwe Lesa Lungu mwamufunishe kwiii! Pantu na satana kuti akwatako no luse kaili balibombele pano na Lesa
The adherence to rules has dropped drastically. No one wears masks anymore. Handshakes are back. Are bars fully open or on weekends only??
Recently it’s you who was saying Zambia it’s ranked 5, one of safest place in the world to visit today you are telling us ati ama cases yanina , ba lungu careful the way you are doing things, you are just decampaining your self.
Awe sure!! in what republic are we? aya ma copy and pest ideas
Second wave as if we had experienced the first wave,,ever thing is copy and paste…nobulwele kukopela
What a joke …meanwhile this foooolish bum is going around the country visiting each chiefdoms
A govt of shameless liars …second wave with no data backing
What kind of fufufuveve is that ? Don’t warn just implement!!!
Some people take this deadly virus lightly and don’t follow the health guidelines. This warning by the President is for those people.
Why don’t some people understand that they are risking everyone’s life just by not following the Covid-19 Health Guidelines?
Already the nation suffered a lot financially and mentally, we cannot take it anymore. Zambia must follow the health guidelines of wearing the mask, avoiding gathering.
Great leadership. You did well sir as look at the western world where millions have perished and continue to die to this day. I would rather trust your judgement than the views of the evil diasporans above who are asylum seekers in countries like England where people are dying like chickens from corona.
Great leadership. You did well sir as look at the western world where millions have perished and continue to die to this day. I would rather trust your judgement than the views of the f00lish diasporans above who are asylum seekers in countries like England where people are dying like chickens from corona.
Govt leaders show a good example
Coronavirus is here to stay, and it is dangerous until the vaccine doesn’t come out. Till then, we should follow whatever our government says.
Indeed if we managed to beat the first wave we can also manage to emerge victorious in the second wave let’s stick to the guide lines which have been put in place
We can only break the chain of spreading the virus by wearing the mask and strictly following health guidelines. Zambians must support the government in this fight against the virus.
Eddie Don Trumpet Lungusha
We were almost successful in killing the virus through awareness, and following the Covid-19 health guidelines, the numbers were also decreasing. But suddenly people stopped wearing masks and sanitizer, and the affected numbers started increasing.
Timely message from his Excellency. People must adhere if they want to have a non restrictive Christmas. Another Lock down would be sad!!
Indeed, if the situation turns worst, then the country again will be locked!
We should not forget that being careful and adhere to the safety protocol. The entire country might pay a heavy price of any violation leading to increase in cases. We must remember that despite global havoc, our government not only handled the virus effectively, but also became 4th safest country in world to travel to during Covid19! We have to be careful about our country’s image too.
Maybe we need those restrictions if people don’t change their behavior in keeping up to the health guidelines on COVID19
The masks in Zambia are worn as necklaces, I was in Shoprite the other day, both shoprite employees, managers and shoppers were just wearing these things around their necks or chins, with noses and mouths very exposed ,and I was wearing my masks correctly, so if these things are not worn for the intended purpose, why not just leave them home…….
Who was gathering crowds to open bridges?
This is a political gimmick!
You have blocked opposition from mobilizing. You also blocked a lot of citizens from registering to vote. Now you want to block campaigns under the pretext of your imaginary COVID second wave?
Good message . We do not want a situation like there in diaspora where people are dying like chickens. Makes you wonder why upnd diasporans are commenting when their new adopted countries have failed lamentably. How can England record almost 100k deaths.
Maybe with restrictions will understand the gravity of the pandemic at hand…
The only preventive measure is to remove him then covid is gone because he himself keeps gathering people in large numbers without any social distance observations.
Chakolwa. Koswe.
This has been a harsh lesson to Zambians, voting for impotent people.
Luckily, our constitution allows us to purge undesirables periodically.
Vote wisely.
Meanwhile the man is busy holding rallies countrywide and campaigning for his third term.
He is usually the first person to disregard the same health guidelines.
This is some foolishness. Why becoming puppets to who want to wipe you all out. Who is lying about all This fake planedemic . but wait first when Elohim take there blow on all you wicked nation wat a day it will be happy are you who cake out of this system of Babylon.
Let’s just mask up and sanitize we can overcome the second wave too
Even on those misusing covid money and donations
FYI…..England as small as it is has a population of 56 million compared to 18 million Zambians iwe KZ.
Tony 100,000 deaths is 100,000 souls whether they occur in a country of 100,000 people or 1 billion people. Do not take us for f00ls. You have been brainwashed to think that your colonial masters can do no wrong. You are quick to criticise your fellow black skinned folk. You coon. You have lost your history and identity. Sad
This country would have been better governed if state house had stayed unoccupied for the last 5 years. The current occupant is so so clueless
I hope this is not a vailed plan to restrict the opposition from conducting campaigns whilst the PF leaders go round the country campaigning under the pretense of project initiation , inspection and commissioning. Otherwise Zambians have been following covid19 guidelines. PF has reached a stage of NO RETURN, they will use every opportunity available to ensure that they retain power.
KZ is a goon and shameless moron