Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya told journalists in Lusaka that the escalating cases of cholera is the reason government has banned all gatherings in cholera epicenters.
Dr. Chilufya stated that Statutory Instrument number 79 has been invoked to ban gatherings such as church services, funeral gatherings, gathering to drink at bars and taverns to ensure there in no further transmission through contact.
The Minister clarified that the ban has only been effected in the affected areas while, in places that are not affected the ministry is only emphasizing on preventive measures.
He stated that in all epicenters, bars and night clubs have been permitted to operate with reduced hours and only selling take away beers to avoid people gathering in one place.
He said the armed forces who are patrolling places have been guided to follow the provisions of the statutory instrument on places where the ban has been placed.
Dr. Chilufya said the curfew which has been imposed on Kanyama Compound in Lusaka is still in effect, as night movements were also contributing to the transmission of cholera.
He also stated that inspectors are on the ground re-inspecting businesses that were closed after being found with germs that cause cholera adding that so far, 6 eating places have been re-inspected and opened.
The Health Minister said churches in places not affected by the disease have been allowed to operate but cautioned that people from cholera epicenters should not go to congregate in such areas as they would be posing a danger to other congregants.
And Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale said bars and night clubs that will not follow the stipulated opening and closing hours will be closed down and risk losing their licenses.
He said government has come up with measures to reduce operating hours for drinking places and allow them to sell take away beers in order to keep the economy running as the owners have bills to pay.
Mr. Mwale said his Ministry and the Zambia National Farmers Union will soon announce to the public the new conducive places where, farm produce and vegetables will be sold following the closure of markets.
He stated that government is doing everything possible to ensure the lives of people are safe as they keep the economy running.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mwale has announced the closure of Lusaka’s Chinika Market which has been operating illegally and stated that a case of cholera was reported from the same market.
ITS NOT BAD WITH ONLY AN INCREMENT OF 108 CASES, AND NO DEATH APART FROM THE FEW 58 THAT DIED OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS. THE INCREASE IS INSIGNIFICANT TO WARRANT HARSH MEASURES LIKE NO MORE THAN 5 PIPO IN ONE PLACE BUT U KNOW FOR SURE AVERAGE ZAMBIAN FAMILY HAS 8 PEOPLE.
You can be certain that the figures on infections and deaths as being reported is suppressed in order to create a panic. Which is a mistake because indeed we do need to panic. A Cholera outbreak in this day and age, in a capital city in a country that is at peace is completely unacceptable and a disgrace. One case is one case too many…so I completely disagree with your sentiment that 58 cases in three months is ‘not bad’. Why Zambia!? And we claim to be a peaceful country. What do we have to show for our peace if we cannot have decent levels of hygiene for us to enjoy our ‘peace’?
Kasendeni fi money Ku toll gate guys. There are millions lying idle…
PF govt operations
Shame on Zambia, it’s dirtiness has come on open air.
Anyoko how could you say 58 is a small number of people who have died. One person dying of cholera is bad enough. Have lives of Zambians become so cheap under Edgar Lungu that a seemingly enlightened person can casually and without remorse write such a foul comment?
58 deaths is a serious issue. With many bore holes contaminated and much of the produce in informal markets contaminated this has the potential to be like those of the past. In the late 1800’s Cholera claimed millions of peoples lives – and the situation here could become that. We should thank the gov. for the decisive action being taken and pray that it will be successful. Cholera can kill millions of people in conditions like this.
@blabla, whatever you call yourself. It is that negativity in you that negates progress in the country. Wake up and be positive. You cant always imagine things your way.
All this was avoidable.Clearly the buck stops at the top leadership.Now even the vendors they sought to appease are either dead, dying sick or broke.What have they achieved?Meanwhile the little that is left of the economy after the looting is now being completely finnished.And all that was needed was acting in the best interest of the nation.Have we learnt anything?Most likely not.
It’s such a sad situation and that wishful President is still holding on to power he needs to step down he has failed to lead the country.
What a president.
Wat are u talking about u sheet u don’t know wat is happening….All that money which they have spent to reduce the number of deaths… just shut up and mind ur biwex
What happens to a family of 10 people taking a meal together at home?. Its illegal gathering I hear. So what happens we cannot reduce our families.
Disaster!
We have to take DNA tests and those that don’t make the cut have to go to their fathers’ houses.
This is a warning to people. Towns and housing quarters are full of litter made by citizens. We have been screaming about the street vendors for a long time, it’s sad that we are only recognising the danger of these people doing business in that way.
We should all pray very hard for this to be defeated. Our next target should be to improve our infrastructure as far as wastage systems o through out the country.
Misplaced priorities, buying fire tenders instead of being proactive and make the country clean.
Bro that st u have mentioned the point those $42,000,000 fire tenders are just packed no water inside.
This cholera is actually a blessing as the blacks have learned that cleanliness is godliness, hoping lusaka to lose it’s place as the dirtiest town in africa
You would be surprised at the filth in London. Only affluent areas are clean. Spit, vomit filthy public toilets in streets, rail statations etc. The London underground is the filthiest underground service in the word!
Total lie by Matt Henry. The Filth is Lusaka is incomparable to anywhere else at the moment & that is why we have very high numbers of cholera ever recorded in modern times.
Kitwe has a shortage of chlorine, yes we can boil enough to drink but we can’t manage to boil much to wash the cups ND other dishes we are feeding on. Bring more we prevent together
Comment:cholera or no cholera it’s one Zambia one nation.its not time to blame one another it’s time to rise and fight cholera as a nation. let’s pray that it should not happen to anyone,not a prayer that “thank God it’ did not happen to me.”
The Health Minister said churches in places not affected by the disease have been allowed to operate but cautioned that people from cholera epicenters should not go to congregate in such areas as they would be posing a danger to other congregants.
Asign of relief,atleast he is talking sense.
Very interest: Now I know Beer is running the economy and more important than Praying and asking for mercy from God. Now the rain is gone, I hope the same ministers do not start asking Churches to pray for the rain.
In the world of numbers, 58 deaths is not too bad. That is a drop compared to deaths from road accidents, malaria, etc
However, whilst other deaths need huge funding and infrastructure to control, deaths from cholera need only basic human hygiene.
It does not need much effort to keep our environment clean, provided it becomes our mindset and we do it on a continuous basis.
Come on Zambians, lets evolve and become civilised !
One” little thing” people seem to overlook is the handling of money especially notes. I’ve seen people not washing their hands when eating after handling money. It’s easy to transfer cholera through paper money.
Ending the epidemic will require multiple prevention methods.We food industries operating under unsanitary conditions especially those in slams, bars, restaurants, bakeries, butcheries and tarvens without adequate clean running water and sanitary facilities will have have to take necessary precautions to help fight this..as our motto is (One Zambia One Nation)we can defeat cholera with joint hands and not criticizing one another.
let us not talk too much country men and women, but concentrate on how we can fight against prevention the spread of cholera. lets us unity together for the better living.
let us not talk too much country men and women, but concentrate on how we can fight against the spread of cholera. lets us unity together for the better living.
I think that the counsil must vet contractors and put skips in place that gets serviced on a regular base.They must also impose a bylaw to fine people who litter,then things will get in order