Government has announced a restriction to all public gatherings, in an effort to prevent people from contracting the Coronavirus.
Announcing this at a press briefing this morning, Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya also announced a restriction on face-to face interactions at public gatherings such as hugs or handshakes at churches.
He also directed all public places such as restaurants, shopping malls, business places, and other work places to put hand sanitizer for their clients.
The Minister of Health has also signed two Statutory Instruments which will facilitate the management and Control of the Covid 19 commonly known as Coronavirus.
Dr. Chilufya says the Statutory Instruments will among other things require mandatory reporting to health officials all individuals suspected to have Covid-19 and mandatory quarantine of all travelers from high-risk areas for a minimum period of 14 days.
He says the Statutory Instruments will also allow for the closure of any premises that pose a public health threat linked to Covid-19.
Dr Chilufya said government has further effected a mandatory reporting of all suspected Coronavirus cases to the Zambia Institute of Public Health (ZIPH).
Dr Chilufya also disclosed that Zambia has not recorded any case of Covid-19 but has however assured that the Zambia National Public Health Institute has been conducting continued surveillance.
He said 28 alerts involving individuals who travelled from areas were COVID-19 has been confirmed,19 cases have been investigated, more than 29,000 have been screened at international airports entries in the last month with 2,300 travellers arriving from high risk areas been identified and being tracked for 14 days.
“In line with the public health act cap.295 of the laws of Zambia, I have signed and brought into force two statutory instruments which:(1) designate CONVID-19 as a notifiable disease and (2) provide additional regulation to facilitate management and control of COVID-19,” Dr Chilufya said.
“A call centre has been established for the public to report concerns and also receive information of the disease.Dedicated call centre numbers are 909 (toll-free),0953898941,0964638726 and 0974493553” he further disclosed.
Dr Chilufya also said government has established an emergency fund to provide resources for CONVID-19 preparedness, surveillance and responce.
The minister was joined by Informatiom and Broadcasting Minister Dora Siliya and permanent secretaries from various ministries as well as the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit Country Coordinator Chanda Kabwe.
That PF candidate is dull. What about sexx and sharing scads of chibuku, things Zambians are good at.
“You are barred to appear in any Zambian court”. That is same as saying “You now have same immunity as the PF president” .
Some guys are so lucky…
Zero cases in Zambia and you institute these stringent measures that will affect our poor economy!! America hasn’t banned handshakes just advise against it.Where will the people who earn money from gatherings earn money from now? Will government provide some tax relief and will banks provide some leniency? Don’t just copy and paste solutions that the rich do.You can’t even pay your workers but you have a coronavirus fund? Its too hot here for cororna virus.
Zero cases reported does not mean the virus is not in Zambia. The law of averages dictates that if we don’t have it yet, we will get it very soon in Zambia. You also have to consider the up to 14 days incubation period during which people can spread the virus but without exhibiting the symptoms. We need to minimise the risk of spreading the virus especially because we do not have the facilities that the likes of US or Europe has because once it does take root we will not have the financial and medical capacity to deal with it. The moves being taken are the right thing to do. In this case once has to be proactive than reactive. Don’t want to end up like Italy or worse!
Kwasala church apa
Thank you Minister. But the numbers for the Covid-9 call centre 909 is okay but can’t Zamtel, Airtel MTN offer numbers that are simplified three or four digits? Or 10 simplified digits. These are high tech companies, they can do it
You can’t ban, you merely discourage, otherwise how are you going to enforce such laws . Certainly the minister did listen well to what other leaders around the world said.
This is important information. Thank you. Let us increase hygiene levels. Especially as we enjoy the weekend in public places..stay safe my brother and sisters..kz
@Halsy you are spot on. They should ban ALL useless miracle churches lock em up and throw away the keys!!
The biggest mistake Zambian Presidents make is appoint Doctors in ministerial positions at Ministry of Health like this crook Chilufya, take the example of this one.. would hear him say that we are consulting virologists about the plan of action like the UK ministers even Public officials who are Doctors and not from that background excuse themselves but this man runs MOH like his hospital…we dont even hear any Professional advice from the Chief Medical Doctor at UTH or MOH. Chilufya has been too long at MOH.
The good thing is that there are no cases in the country. Against that background, these restrictions can be recommended but they are more or less non-effective. For me, what’s most important is to monitor international arrivees from affected regions and also watch the borders, especially those entering in from affected countries like Congo.
Who is that in the photo ? Is it his Indian Pharmaceutical Supplier who ships him expired drugs for medical stores!
“Government has announced a restriction to all public gatherings, in an effort to prevent people from contracting the Coronavirus.”
Obviously this was a cabinet decision.
This evening on ZNBC TV we watched young people taking part in the early morning presidential jogging. Was that not a public gathering? Or are those “exercise” types of public gathering exempted? And jogging does produce deeper breathing in and out, and even coughs, and in that crowd those excited poor young men and women were less than half a meter from each other.
Ba Minister, we need to lead by example, why didnt you advise state house to suspend this “exercise” today and all the coming ones too, until COVID-19 is brought under control?
Church congregations are public gatherings too and so are schools .
Please be clear on this matter before Its too late , other countries have acted in good time on this aspect.
Those things that we can avoid lets avoid them, including the presidential jogging, he can do it privately or with his staff members. At least we can allow schools for now, and maybe churches to pray against those gassing savages in the name of party cadres.
Oh I forgot one other thing about jogging, body fluids including sweat are one mode of transmission of COVID-19.
Tarino you are a sick sad individual. You think criticising will win you elections. Losing elections has made you an angry osufa abroad. I am sure you are not even free where you are and you find solace in attacking anything g that happens home, as a way of finding solace in your sad daily life.its not late, our doors are open and you can reapply for citizenship or rather register. I am well informed by bloggers here about your past. I am told you went under the name Jay Jay and were blocked for your insolence on this site. I will now ensure that you are sorted out again. Kz
So you hear some fake lawyers as people are free to mingle. This is blah,blah human rights…
Before it is too late, ban all immigrants from ‘red alert’ countries such as Italy, Iran and Spain; in addition to these measures you have announced.
So how do you ban shaking hands? how do you even enforce that ? I think there would have been no HIV problem in Zambia if sex was banned by Dr Chilufya ( Am not giving him ideas) . Wait? How do you even ban intimate acts like sex or shaking hands ?
Now for serious stuff.
Research has shown that In hotter, more humid places like Bangkok the Corona virus has mainly been seen in people who brought it in from outside, and has not spread quickly through the community, Warmer air holds more moisture, which prevents airborne viruses from traveling as far as they would in dry air (air sanitizer, anyone ?), therefore the chances that you will get the flu in hot and humid conditions, are greatly reduced but not eliminated. Thank God for the warm climate.
This man knows his job very well
The numbers are too complicated. The simplest of numbers should be used instead. The numbers should also be similar across all the net works,!m
Ban drinking at Chibuku tarverns please these things are a breeding ground for all kinds of diseases. Those who want to buy that stuff should just do takeaways and go and drink at their homes.
The warm weather theory that you don’t get the virus as easy is rubbish, look at Singapore right on the equator in the top ten countries, as for banning immigrants it should start with Chinese, the scum of the earth