Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has tested positive for COVID-19. Dr Chilufya becomes the second Cabinet Minister to test positive for the pandemic after Chief Government spokesperson Dora Siliya last week.
Updating the nation on COVID-19 in Lusaka today, Secretary to Cabinet Dr Simon Miti said the Minister took a test for the Coronavirus and the results have come out positive.
Dr Miti said Dr Chilufya has gone into self-isolation and will remain there until he is discharged by health authorities.
He said health officials have commenced contact tracing to ensure that his contacts do not transmit the virus.
Meanwhile, Dr Miti has announced that the country has in the last five days recorded 137 COVID-19 cases bringing the cumulative number of Coronavirus cases to 1,057.
He said this is out of the 4, 264 tests conducted in the last five days and that the cases were detected through Community screening, contact tracing, point of entry screening, contact tracing, point of entry screening and health facility surveillance.
Dr Miti said 56 cases are from routine screening with Lusaka recording 19, Nakonde with 27, Chilanga 5, Ndola 3, Chinsali 1 and Kitwe 1.
He said 33 were Truck Drivers 24 of them from Nakonde, 2 in Ndola, 2 in Chipata and 1 in Chirundu while 26 are health workers all from Lusaka, 16 contacts to known cases, 7 from Nakonde 6 in Lusaka, 1 in Kabwe and 2 in Mansa.
Dr Miti said 4 cases were from Hospital Surveillance all from UTH, 2 from points of entry at Nakonde.
And Dr Miti said 443 patients were discharged in the last five days 392 of them from Muchinga, 39 from Levy Isolation centre in Lusaka, 6 from Copperbelt, 5 from Kabwe and 2 in Lusaka.
Wishing him a quick recovery
I hope that beautiful lady from ZNBC has not tested positive, I noticed that the minister was trying to get fresh with her.
Oh! Pleaaaaase give me a break
Zambian watchdog
Photo of the day: shaking hands despite coronavirus
17 March 2020 10:45
Money makes us forget the important stuff at times.
Minister of health Chitalu Chilufya shaking bare hands after receiving a donation of K100, 000. This was during the press briefing where he announced escalated measures on the prevention of Covid19. One of the measures was that people should observe hygiene and avoid handshakes
Wishing him a quick recovery indeed.
So ZWD was right after all, these shameless people would go to extremes not to get arrested even killing …what a disgraceful people to ever preside in public offices. Zambia deserves better than this rotten govt of liars and thieves….its crystal clear there is no leadership in this PF govt!!
Wish him a quick recovery, as a precaution they should also monitor the BP. I hope he isn’t one of the contacts because they used to sit close to each other. We don’t want COVID-19 in Cabinet
Koswe is well ahead of PF tricks and crookedness. He read this will happen after Dola. Kaya
The whole cabinet starting with Chagwa must immediately self quarantine. They are a menacing health danger to society!
I think they should now open prime tv , i mean even after arm twisting media houses to broadcast mahala covid messages, they too were not adhering to the health guidelines.
Ni mwa aLungu, anything is possible. When pressure mounts even BP takes it’s toll…
Corona virus is another BP, I’m just joking may his health improve asap.
This is Zambia.
FAKE! THESE PEOPLE ARE JOKERS. WHAT THEY CAN DO TO GET FINANCIAL AID TO STEAL. NEXT ONE TO BE POSITIVE IS MALANJI OR NGANDU TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE DONOR AFTER THEY REFUSED TO DONATE
He has the infection but is not ill yet. Whatever his weaknesses, he remains human, flesh and blood, as the Human League sung in the 1990s. Let’s all wish him the best. His date with the ACC is another matter altogether.
Me just thinking aloud. Dora could have been a contact and this is the reason Dr Chikufya has it. Dora should get married to avoid such contacts. Men where are u? Do not waste resources like that.
I told you at the start of covid-19 cases in Zambia…I told you that Chilufya is not credible to handle such matters …I told you about his flawed data collection …these people will do anything they dont care about you, this is a desperate man who will do desperate things in the face of damming evidence, he is too slippery for ACC..I hope he is quarantined with Dora!!
He too is faking it just to qualify for government free food, am sure he is laughing at the Zambians who think he is sick.
It is just pure phobia now that ACC is breathing on his neck.
Surely your advice to us that for us to be protected, we should wear masks, wash hands, maintain social distance, And that now you have got the virus, that has eroded all that you have been telling us. Okay, tell us how you got it. Were you not washing your hands or what. I am not stigmatizing you but I want to learn, and don’t you think its time for your boss to move you lets say to ministry of community, under health you have surely failed to protect yourself so how can you protect us. Legitimate and fair, non partisan questions from me
I guess ACC will social distance from him for 14 days.
Quick recovery bruh.
Arrest him after 14 days ba ACC mwaufwa.
mmmmm aweh iyi yeve ni boza…ACC PHOBIA
He is learning from Kambwili. Whenever summoned by the ACC, feign illness.
@ Me teacher, are you really “just thinking”? If so, please try harder (…or give up). What part of COVID-19 being a respiratory virus makes you think transmission requires sexual encounter or that being married will somehow help? Serious, if that’s you “thinking” I’d be worried.
Truly, look no further than how the “hon” HEALTH minister wears his mask under his nose and chin. What a clown! As a “doctor” he should know that unless N95, masks are more about protecting others than protecting yourself meaning he has been arrogantly spreading the virus for God knows how long. Not only a clown but a danger to the nation! Yes, we may wish him well (sure!) but is a bit like wishing the one who just scored an own goal to somehow set things right.
He’s faking it, ad trying to avoid ba ACC for a while. Muli ma crooks bad.
Fxxking comedians!!
God Bless him with a return to good health soon.
1,057, is proof enough for people who have been saying Africans can’t get Covid19. 26 health workers in Lusaka is proof how infectious it is. Let’s get serious and start keeping rules religiously. Mask, goggles/glasses (because you get through the eyes too). Social distancing, avoid mini buses. Shop local. If you feel unwell, isolate. Take your immune ptotecting vitamins to fortify your immune system (C, Bs and Zinc combo). Honey, lemon water to sooth throat. Gloves for going out and about if you can (even kitchen Marigold ones).
PRAY, IN FAITH AND BELIEVING, for God is able beyond all possibility to protect, heal us.
Oh, and don’t forget to eat a Clove of fresh garlic a day (at night better for others). Mash it up and mix into smoothies, green juice or put on your meat. It thins the blood helping to stop covid19 clotting your blood.
The entire cabinet should go away, they are all thieves, cowards and criminal minds. It’s quite hard for me to believe anything they say. This is another ploy to either get the funds from the donations or something to do with the elections…please watch this space.
My family and I are fed up of these thieves and thugs. I can’t complain any more I will start sounding like a broken record.
From the bottom of my arse I think they should go away and it’s time for them to go.
Bunch of degenerates..I can’t wait to see most of them end up in Jail.
Only fools believe this. It was predicted that this guy will fall sick to Covidien 19 to avoid ACC. during this 14 days he will be planning the next move to stall ACC process. But post ponning problems doesn’t mean they will disappear there is always time to pay the price for all mismanagement & appropriation of government resources.
@ Dweny Mwanba you’re not the only one who sounds like a broken record in your complaints. It has now become a trend to attack leadership figures in their fight against Covid-19. It can also be seen in Europe. However, doubting their positive status and suspecting them of fronting to benefit from it is a calibre only seen among Africans.
Will somebody explain to me why truck drivers seem to be the hardest hit profession in our situation? Is the Covid-19 team also working to establish the reasons for this odd statistic.
@adviser truck drivers are the most hardest hit profession in our situation because they are coming from the hardest hit nations.
There is need to start testing them at the point of departure.
By the time this crook is out of self isolation…all the evidence will have disappeared as Chilufya would have bribed all ACC officers.
So it has happened as was prophesied yesterday? If all of us can have this kind of prediction power, we can defeat Covid 19 in no time? can we be told who else is going to test positive tomorrow please?
Get well soon mr chilufya, kz come back soon.
By the way, if the so called Health Minister can test positive, what do you expect from people in Mandevu, Kapoto etc?
Just a reminder, ba ACC seleleni ukutali, this man will only be available for your arrest after 14 months.
The destroying of evidence has finished at the Ministry of health .Now is time to go into isolation and burn the evidence that the A.C.C needs . This government is responsible for making laws in Zambia but has broken every letter of the law. Just like what happened to Mtembo Nchito ,Chitalu Chilufya should have been suspended or put on forced leave to allow the ACC staff to do their job without stress or fear of losing jobs . This government is worse than covid -19
The Zambian Observer reported (some would say predicated) YESTERDAY that Chilufya would soon announce that he has tested positive for COVID – 19 to prevent being arrested by the ACC. Anyone with more info. on this?
We told PF not to take covid 19 like a child’s play when HH told them to lock down the country they said we are ready and prepared but see what’s happening now i pray that God keep this covid away from our poor communities let it just fest on these stupid ministers in PF so that they can stop stealing.
@ advisor, in addition to what Mutende says, I think it must also be because testing is focused mainly at the border. There hasn’t been very good testing around the country, let alone a scientific sample so would take this “statistic” with a grain of salt. Lies, damn lies, and statistics, right?
That and, of course, holding truck drivers at the border while waiting for results makes social distancing difficult, thereby creating additional risks of spreading the virus among other drivers and among the border community the drivers interact with.
Truck drivers seem to be the hardest hit profession because there are so careless with their lives every town they have a girl friend that’s how HIV virus feasted on them too .
Ba Kawalala!!
What a shameless Government. Zambia Watchdog predicted this yesterday.
Any wonder Jona & his P.F bloodsucking tics are eager to stifle & close independent media??
Where are we now with the P.F sanctioned Gassing perpetrators??
Lastly #P.FKUYABEBELE = P.FMUSTGO!
Minister get well soon! We need you to help loot donations so that the people can be 100% sure that it is each one for himself and god for us all!
Now this covid 19 situation in Zambia is getting really serious.Chilufya should self isolate along with all his contacts.
Predictable, that is how he has run away from being answerable. And people continue addressing others as Honorable.
Predictable, that is how he has run away from being answerable. And people continue addressing others as Honorable.
Predictable, that is how he has run away from being answerable. And people continue addressing others as Honorable.
Predictable, just be answerable and accountable, do not hide behind Covid 19
Fake positive..cooked up to cover up theft of donor funds….i told you this man us a bandit Minister just like the rest of PF makakas pompwes
“And Dr Miti said 443 patients were discharged in the last five days 392 of them from Muchinga, 39 from Levy Isolation centre in Lusaka, 6 from Copperbelt, 5 from Kabwe and 2 in Lusaka.”
The numbers are obviously fake, how possible is it that such a large number of 392 patients were discharged from Muchinga a rural area, when Lusaka’s Levy hospital has never discharged more than 15 in a week? Are the facilities and mication better in Muchinga than Lusaka? Were the tests genuine? I could ask a thousand questions, indicating how suspect and untrustworthy PF is!