The total number of COVID-19 cases in Zambia has increased to 35 after the country recorded six more cases in the last 24 hours.
Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya addressing Journalists in Lusaka today said 51 more tests were carried out in the last 24 hours with six people testing positive.
Dr Chilufya said the six cases involve the people that travelled to Pakistan and those that had direct contact with them.
He said four of the cases are directly linked, a couple directly linked to the cohort that travelled to Pakistan, one domestic worker and a congregant who came into contact with the cohort who came into contact with those that travelled Pakistan.
Dr Chilufya said the number of cases that are as a result of local transmission stands at nine cumulatively while all confirmed cases remain stable and in isolation.
The Minister said all the patients will only be discharged once they test negative and asymptomatic to the pandemic.
Dr Chilufya added that the case that was described yesterday as severely ill is now stable and condition remains the same.
He said the patient continues to be monitored by the specialist staff at the Levy Mwanawasa Isolation centre.
And Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has warned that businesses disobeying the Presidential directive to close down in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak will not only be shut down but will have their licenses revoked.
Dr Chilufya is saddened that some Businesses among them Bars, casinos and restaurants have continued to operate going against the directive.
He said those that are opening their premises for businesses are not only abrogating Statutory Instruments 21 and 22 but are also risking the lives of the people they are attending to.
Dr Chilufya has emphasized on the need for people to observe the pronounced Public Health measures such as sanitizing, washing hands with soaps, social distancing and staying home in order to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
The Minister has also emphasized the need for those that arrived in the country from 15th March 2020 using Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airline and have not been reached by health care providers to remain in self quarantine.
Dr Chilufya further emphasized on the need to avoid non essential travel to limit the chance of contact with COVID-19.
He said President Edgar Lungu has directed Cabinet Office to quickly identify non essential workers to allow them to work from home.
And Dr Chilufya said his Ministry is working with truckers, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Commerce, Trade and Industry to ensure that that trade continues.
He said there are also ongoing bilateral engagements to ensure essential trade continues so that the supply of essential commodities such as petroleum products is not disrupted.
‘The Minister has also emphasized the need for those that arrived in the country from 15th March 2020 using Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airline and have not been reached by health care providers to remain in self quarantine’…..PLEASE TRUCK THESE PEOPLE!!!!!!!
Truck these people? Ni motoka. Track these people
STOP LYING ABOUT COVID 19 NUMBERS
I think the entire population is really at risk and I warn PF government not to handle this COVID – 19 like they handled the gassing issue. This one spread like the Bush fire and their is no need of politicizing this disease. Let’s fight it together physically, mentally, financially, socially, spiritually etc.
The fact remains these African leaders, they have no where to run to, the best medical facilities in the world are congested and no rooms for their bodies. So if you were stealing from your own wallet, it is the time to answer.
The whole world is at risk. Thousands of deaths in Europe and America. Meanwhile how many do we have in Zambia?
The same way he kept misleading his boss to a level where the country is on its knees now economically he is still talking. Despite his title the guy had no boundary he was everywhere and this is where we are. Satana
Government should give out groceries and food packages to the poor beggars, slum-dwellers, several low-income groups as well as the elderlies who live alone, for them to stay home and stay alive otherwise many people will starve to death . In a few weeks time all eyes will be on Africa because that’s when people will start to die in big numbers from COVID 19.
Don’t forget to prepare the mass graves. Prayers wont help!!!
‘Kaizar Zulu’ millions will die in Africa, hundreds of thousands if not millions in Zambia alone
We should take this disease serious, diseases can come even from the list expected sources, who thought this disease would hit zambia the hardest via pakistan? most us we put our defences on one wall(chinese), and left the other side scantily protected(pakistan). We all should just remember that every single individual including your fellow zambian now is a potentially able to transmit this disease to you. stay safe people and isolate yourself as much as possible,
Protect your citizens by always saying the truth , When you test more people you will discover that you actually have much more than the 35 recorded cases.
We are only hearing about the positive cases but what about those that have recovered and are now immune?
No need for gloomy forecasts. We can overcome this challenge without paying a heavy price. Our support is needed. China already showed the world how discipline, resilience, patience and a fighting spirit is necessary to overcome such a crisis.
Africa with it’s malnutrition, HIV and NCDs cannot afford to treat this virus casually!
We need the discipline of the JAPANESE! Despite having a large population of the elderly, they have not suffered deaths like Italy and the rest!
Good luck Africa as you head into Winter months! That is the weather viruses like! Be Ready!
It is sad that people like KZ, our so called leaders, are underrating the speed at which the Corona virus can spread. At the beginning of this month, South Africa only had 2 cases but now we are talking of about 1300 cases. This is not a joke.
Of all places that I visited today, the most impressive, in terms of Social Distancing, was Livestock Services in the Show Grounds. The worst of them all was Musa Industry next to Trade Kings, off Mumbwa Road. Musa Industry, the area where they sale freezits was pathetic as women and children were scrambling for freezits. Actually, this place is always pathetic in the manner in which it sales it’s freezits.
The Wholesales for groceries are also overcrowded and what is sad is that most of them are run by people of Pakistan and Indian origins who…
Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya addressing Journalists in Lusaka today said 51 more tests were carried out in the last 24 hours with six people testing positive. !!!
Akanwa kapona!!!
Let us brainstorm. How can we use lessons from Global practices on tackling COVID -19? What Zambian solutions can work in our social configuration? UNZA – do we have 3D printers in the labs? Fellow engineers – can we put our heads together, source some donations from within (we are all affected) to acquire the 3D printers, adapt some off patent devices and reverse engineer them into breathing devices and protective gadgets for our people on the frontline. Specialised research centers, Microbiologists, Virologists -lead the debate and activities in – adapt or develop fast but reliable test…
Harold Muna March 30, 2020 At 2:00 pm
Some countries in the West had a slow response, yes. But instead of urging the Zambian authorities to learn from this, the likes of KZ are praising them because the number is 35. Yesterday it was 29. Are you able to assess how this can increase exponentially? Borders are still porous and the 50 people allowed gathering is illogical. Some measures are still half baked and there isn’t much action to implement them. It is clear from the story that a good number of people have slipped through. Chilufya shouldn’t also be providing information that may identify those with the virus in a country that has an embedded stigmatizing attitude
Please Honourable, at least look down Lusaka city were they are more cases.
Ba KZ ka reasoning very shallow. Even in Europe they started with low number and no deaths.
From the airline manifests, the security apparatus can identify and locate all people who disembarked from these flights in Zambia and are in the country. Asking these people to come forward is an effort in futility and shows our lack of seriousness. Also, let’s face it – the “cohort” as described here, are a rude, arrogant, and confrontational lot (no racism here). Let us be in control of our country and act with a level of urgency and seriousness. A Zambian in other countries acting with this level of arrogance and rudeness will be locked up, and/or deported immediately, irrespective of status. By now, anyone who has been closely associated with the “cohort” who went to this festival and is in hiding, is potentially committing mass murder.
“He said President Edgar Lungu has directed Cabinet Office to quickly identify non essential workers to allow them to work from home.”
Iwe Chilufya, why spoil an otherwise good message to the public with PF campaign slogans?
Do you really have to be directed over things that are within your professional competencies??
Don’t say how many cases do you have in Zambia this is not the time for show off or playing politics this is the time to put aside politics and work together because this disease knows no political party and this disease spreads like bush fire this is not bill 10 Mr. KZ.
Please Zambia can you close all the borders and try to contain and fight the cases within the country even a lock down for one week can help since the numbers are still low it’s better to move fast now than late.
Ba KZ ba Kwata limited thinking coupled with mediocrity. With such i###ts people will perish.
It’s true what ba late Sata once said”most of my pf ministers are useless”.They can’t think outside the box.They only wait for directives from ECL.Wake up its no time to slumber.
KZ – you claim we have only a few positive cases, that’s because Zambia only did 51 tests in 24 hours and zambia got 6 positive back in that batch that’s a return of 10%, there are 14 million of us and yes i live here, so in a few weeks there could be 1.4 million infected, overseas they test 10,000 people in 24 hours remember it doubles every 3 days, look at SA.
also the simptems are like flu or malaria so people don’t know they have it.
The pf govt.is taking the COVID 19 as a joke.Fellow Zambians, don’t be cheated. This diesease is deadly and spreads like bush fire.It is airborne and simple masks cannot stop it. My advise to you all is , Lock yourselves away from the congested places of lusaka.Take your family away and be safe. I shudder to imagine what is going to happen within the next coming week.Lord help us.