Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has said that the World Health Organization has classified Zambia as low risk in regard to the Corona Virus that has broken out in China’s Wuhan City.
He said his Ministry has been notified about the novel virus whose outbreak has been widely talked about on social media and other media platforms in the last couple of days.
He said though Zambia is not in the high-risk bracket, the Ministry of Health through its disease intelligence wing(ZNPHI) has intensified surveillance at all points of entry, including the use of thermoscanners for temperature monitoring on all arrival passengers.
He said further that all points of entry staff have been oriented on standard case definitions, travel history assessment and symptoms of the illness.
Dr. Chilufya said health security is top on the list of priorities for the Patriotic Front Government, under the impeccable leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
He said the novel Corona virus causes a respiratory illness with common signs and symptoms including respiratory distress, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
“In severe cases, it causes complications such as Pneumonia and may lead to death particularly in those with compromised immunity or other underlying diseases.
” I wish to assure you that the nation is safe from the Corona virus. No case has been detected in Zambia. We are working collaboratively with our counterparts at China CDC and WHO to keep us updated on the outbreak. We shall keep you informed as the situation evolves, ” he said.
Dr. Chilufya said this at a media briefing at Ndeke House this evening
iwe Chilufya, are you telling me the MoH has no spokesperson? You are both a minister and spokesperson?
Imwe’ naimwe’ even if there was High Risk potential for Corona, your useless P.F GUNDWANE’S would NEVER prioritise spending time, resources on prevention / cures, coz all you pour Government funds in in Campaigning & enabling useless Drunken Mukula 1 to globetrot aimlessly like a Green Fly, that’s always roving, searching for the opportunity to land on vintu vowola!!
This is a very dangerous assumption. With a very high influx of Chinese nationals to Zambia, it won’t be too long before Zambians start getting sick. Even a 1% chance of Zambians being contaminated by this chocholi diseases with be very difficult to manage.
Please start screaming NOW and not tomorrow!
God bless Zambia
Yes yesterday I informed you all the we were liaising with key stakeholders on both sides including in China to come up with solution and to assess the risk. This is good development and we will continue to assess the situation and keep you informed. government.Some of you complain and criticize the government from Monday to Friday without fail like it is a full time job. Its Saturday. for a change let us discuss something positive. I will start. My self my weekend has already started. I was sipping on Hennessy yesterday. For today have a bottle of a 20 year old whiskey specially bought from Japan. What is everyone doing? Happy weekend. With love. Kz
Enjoy the weekend KZ. You have left out one sweet item on your weekend menu. Have fun sir.
Thanks Charles. What have I left out?
Who are you pononarring this weekend. ???
Chitalu can you please take this public health crisis as serious.
ACT now.
Just order to quarantine all travelers from China and other infected countries for 14 days.
Small price to pay.
Protect border personal or risk taking virus home and rest of Zambia.
ACT now.
Or you are waiting for your relatives to come back? You will all perish including the mourners.
Just like WHO has classified Zambia as a low risk for Ebola, it just takes one Chink construction manager bringing it when he jets it from China.
There is no country that is low risk as long as there are Chinese citizens, You have 12,000 cases reported in China and you are telling us that we can continue allowing Chinese citizens to come to Zambia because we are low risk safe? There are over 5000 Zambian students in China and they want to come back home. Are we really safe?