Following reports of another pandemic called monkeypox, Acting Minister of Health Charles Milupi says the country as not yet recorded any case of the skin disease.
Mr. Milupi says the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) has heightened surveillance adding that it has put in place surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, prevention and response strategies against the disease.
Giving a weekly update on COVID-19 at his office , the Acting Minister of Health advised that personal hygiene is the first step and key to prevention of any disease.
He said Community engagement and sensitisation will be adapted to keep the country updated.
Mr. Milupi noted that fever and rash are common symptoms of the disease, which is also transmittable through unprotected sex.
The Minister further stated that the World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners through many scientists are working to better understand the extent and cause of current outbreak of monkeypox.
He said it is worth noting that vaccines used during the smallpox eradication programme also provided protection against monkeypox adding that newer vaccines are being developed among which one has been approved for prevention of monkeypox.
The Minister said the disease is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks stating that in recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around three to six percent.
And Mr. Milipu disclosed that since the relaunch of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign on 14th May, 2022, about 845,808 COVID-19 doses have been administered across the country in the last 8 days.
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He announced that 519 new cases were recorded last week, compared to 501 the previous week, representing a four percent.
Mr. Milupi added that two deaths were recorded and both individuals were unvaccinated at the time of their death.
And in the last 24 hours 49 new cases of COVID -19 were recorded out of 997 tests conducted countrywide.
110 patients were discharged from both home and facility management, with only two new admissions both from North-western province.
The Minister said currently there are 582 active cases, while 14 are currently admitted to healthcare facilities across the country with four patients on oxygen therapy and one is in critical condition.
No new deaths were recorded.
It is already here. There are now lots of free gays under this upnd govt. It is spreading alot among gays and bisexuals there abroad. Ask those faggots spaka, tarino and tikki
Zambian media don’t b misled and don’t mislead your readers. This outbreak is very much only in Europe but the media wants to link it to Africa as usual. Just ignore the story. Here in Britain we see stories of the outbreak accompanied by library pictures of black patients. They want to insinuate that Africans have brought the disease. Too much western propaganda
It may soon come here because of our fear to inspect European visitors. Most of the pests we have are alien and they invaded our country because of carelessness. You should see how seriously the staff at European airports take their work. At KKIA apart from stamping the passport by the immigration, I don’t see any other checks.