Zambia has recorded 3 more positive COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, health minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has said.
Speaking at the latest COVID-19 update this morning, Dr Chilufya said two cases involve two females aged 23 and 29 respectively who are contacts of the man from Makeni while the third case is of a 26 year old man who arrived from Poland on the 12 April 2020 aboard Ethiopian airlines.
He said the new 3 cases are out of 150 cases that were tested in the last 24 hours.
Dr Chilufya said cumulatively the cases now stands at 48 cases,2 deaths,30 recoveries with 16 admissions who are all stable including the 74 year old man who is recuperating well and out of oxygen support.
He disclosed that the total number of tests conducted now stands at 1,846 with those that have successfully completed now at 2,336 while 637 alerts were recorded with all of them testing negative.
On the ongoing lock down on Kafue, Dr Chilufya said the district remains an area of interest for now in order to increase testing and screening before it can spread and become a bigger public health threat.
The minister said the lockdown in Kafue which has paved way for massive testing and screening will give a clear evidence of extent of cases in the district.
He urged for full cooperation from Kafue residents to ensure they give the health authorities the support they need.
“The only way of reducing coronavirus is by entrenching in our communities the reduction of person to person transmissions and you should help us by staying home and mask up and to corporate with public health authorities in various jurisdictions” he urged.
He said everyone is at risk but urged for the protection of the vulnarable in society especially those susceptible to the virus such as the advanced in age and emphasized that adhering to the prescribed measures is cardinal to disrupt further transmission of cases.
And Dr Chilufya cautioned all those abrogating the provisions of the guidelines and called on business owners in the transport sector to ensure they protect the passengers by observing the social distancing guidelines and to disinfect all public areas.
“We know how to resuscitate your business but we do not know how to bring back to life your clients that could be lost due to Coronavirus” he said.
Meanwhile, Zambia has received more COVID-19 materials from the Jack Ma Foundation aimed at supporting the detection and treatment of the Coronavirus disease.
The consignment has been organized by the Jack Ma Foundation, African Union, Ethiopian Airlines and the World Food Program.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Emmanuel Mwamba confirmed the development and thanked all the partners involved in the fight against the pandemic on the continent.
Mr. Mwamba said the consignment which has been dispatched to Lusaka arrived today at 14:40 hours aboard Ethiopian Airlines.
He said the consignment Zambia has received comprise, 18,900 viral swabs, transport medium and extraction kits, 3,700 personal protective clothing sets, 3,800 face shields, 4.36 thermometer guns and 5. 9,500 gloves.
Mr. Mwamba said this consignment together with the first shipment, represents a baseline of Personal Protective Equipment and test kits that the Jack Ma Foundation has supported Africa in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said in addition to the materials donated, the Jack Ma Foundation has donated Yuwell Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure, devices that clear the airway used for patients requiring incubation which are not ventilators but perform similar functions.
Last month, the Foundation donated to Zambia 100,000 face masks, 20,000 laboratory test kits, and 1, 000 personal protective equipment.
This is contained in a statement issued to the media by Inutu Mwanza, the First Secretary Press, and Tourism at the Zambian Embassy in Ethiopia.
Like I said the more tests you do the more cases ….that means the virus is out there and spreading especially with the lack of social distancing in crowded markets and buses I can see this incubation period being prolonged.
In some countries where there are total lockdowns the virus is spreading. What more here? Fili eko tuleya!……….
Nooooooooo, wenye!
My imposter is very quick today. As I said previously, at this rate I can envisage a death of 2 million people in Zambia due to poor management and lies by chilufya the corrupt fake hero.
Lock out out Makeni. It is another hot spot.
Lusambo methods not working, let him go and whip the guy from Poland.
2 girls from Makeni, baiche ukutombesha!!
We said it many times, only Rev. Sumaili can help control this virus with moral values, not Lusambo’s police officers.
2moro we will get true picture of how widespread this virus really is. At this stage we can only hope it’s not that bad. Kafue is the litmus test
inganga – Are you going to run from Makeni to Chianda to Airport to Chamba Valley like a headless chicken locking up areas…this is a clear sign of poor planning by Chilufya and MOH. Surely you can not say you have locked down a city when markets and street vending is being tolerated this where the virus emerged in such fifthly places.
I have said time and time again Chilufya’s case figures are a fallacy….he is also rationing test kits and will not say it. I am even surprised Trade Kings have handed him K28 million cash which will not be accounted for as its already gone towards buying cement for Chilufya’s next plush flats construction projects
Twafwa!!!! The two ladies that are in their twenties are too young and probably still energetic. I wonder how many people they interacted with by the time the two young ladies tested positive for Covid 19. The problem of Covid 19 pandemic is a time bomb in Zambia. We just hope that our friends who recently tested positive will cooperate with the relevant authority in disclosing the people they may have interacted with.
This are slay queens..so mathamatically those ma yohz who sale cars are contacts then also they went to their wives who inturn went to visit relatives
Complete lock down in poor neighborhoods will be a challenge…i feel sorry for my brothers and sisters back home…..May God help us all…
Like others have here and before,the interventions are not effective.They are not holistic. This guy from Poland who is a son to a diplomat was he quarantined? It appears the women he is talking about,were not traced and tested earlier when the 74 year sources of infection was hospitalised! The problem these Ministers in PF think this tragedy is PR stund for making names formselves instead of really working to address the problem holistically!
*sorry… the Makeni man source of infection for the women!
Thank you Dr Chilufya, your right hand man, Bowman Lusambo has been blessed with the Messiah’s role to go out to the people and save them during this Easter time.
You cannot doubt that the spirit has awoken his soul to do duty for God Almighty. To warn the people and save them from themselves. Let us all listen to Christ’s message and feel no shame to do duty for our brothers and sisters for we have only one response to the enemy’s attack, To emulate Christ and follow Him. Did Our Dear Redeemer not cast down the Market Traders at the Synagogue for defiling it? Let Bowman then cast out those that would defile God’s Children through their acts of Drunkenness, Disobedience and Debauchery.
GOD BLESS BOWMAN LUSAMBO FOR HIS WORK FOR OTHERS IN THIS TIME OF DANGER. We lift him up Lord, for…
Zambiaisours – To these PF govt officials this pandemic is a period for them to accrue donations like after the market fires where Vincent Mwale was busy taking donations from everywhere only to say there is no money for construction. Just look at Dora and Chilufya at those press conferences they are wearing face masks when the should social distanced and standing but for them its a fashion show..you can even see Dora taking it off to see whether her makeup is mess up. You can take as many donations and cash corruptly but this covid-19 has a way of exposing you and coming back to bite hard.
We thank you for the update. We will continue to support our government and our health authorities to get ahead of this virus and manage the crisis. This is a time to join hands and save lives. Not for politics or emotions.
@Nine Chale, well said and that’s how it’s supposed to be. Not those who are just waffling. Thanks once more
@Nine Chale ….well said
I wouldn’t be surprised if all 17 million die in Zambia with these coons in power.
Nine chale asual sitting on the fence. For once be a man and state your position than walking on egg shells. You are acting like pf pays your salary.
We are getting an average of 2 positive cases for every 100 tested which represents 2%. If lusaka has a population of 1,000,000 then 2% of that which is about 20,000 are likely to be infected as at now. We just need to find them.
Thanks to Jack Ma foundation at Least we’re moving in the right direction!!
Thank you for the update. Continue your hard work while we also continue with making difficult decisions in very unprecedented times. After all, the zambians entrusted us with governing and that is what we are doing. The diasporans did not vote and were not eligible so what they say is insignificant to us. We hope they grownup and act as though they are in developed nations for once
Am very much concerned about the presidential directive and ministry of healthy regulations on COVID 19 and the following are things i suggest should help the citizen of this nation to recover from the lock down which has left homes in hunger:
-government should consider suspending the following:
# PAYE just for few months in order for citizens to cushion the impact of the COVID 19
# Susppend ZESCO & WATER Bills
-Government has received more than enough funds which can help Liquidate Local outstanding arrears for all domestic suppliers
-Lastly but not the least, up to now the money they government released to settle the above is not seen anywhere.
Mr President make follow-ups with government ministries and see what they are doing about this, am a local supplier who is very…