The outbreak of the fast-spreading Coronavirus has now reached Matero and George compounds, some of Zambia’s highly populated areas. Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya disclosed the development this morning during a regular Covid19 update.
Dr. Chilufya said in the last 24 hours, 4 more tests came out positive from the 322 tests conducted bringing the cumulative number to 74 cases,35 discharges, 36 active cases with 3 deaths.
Dr Chilufya said one case is from the mass screening which was done in Kafue, second from George compound, another from Matero, with the third case being a 63-year-old of George compound, and the fourth is a Medical Doctor who was attending to a deceased challenged patient.
“The first case is of a 52-year-old man from Shikoswe out of the mass screening which was conducted from Kafue, the second is a 30-year-old Medical Doctor who was attending to the deceased from Chilenje, another one is of the 23-year-old woman of Matero following an alert from the neighbor and the fourth is of a 63-year-old man of George compound ” Dr. Chilufya explained and said all the patients have been isolated.
Dr. Chilufya also announced that the results of the suspicious death of the man from Choma who died at UTH will be availed tomorrow.
He said as a result of increased positive cases with Kafue alone recording a total of 11, the mass screening will continue and be rolled out into Lusaka starting with Emmasdale and Chaisa before moving into Matero and George compound.
He announced further that additional community screening will be intensified in various places in Lusaka and urged everyone to cooperate in order to identify new cases and isolate them before they spread further.
“Let’s ensure we cooperate with the mass screening and with the health authorities. COVID-19 is still on the surge and we have to make sure it does not go beyond by taking action which involves you to stay at home and follow all the directives” he advised.
And on the recruitment of health personnel, Dr. Chilufya updated that the process is almost complete and health workers will start reporting for work very soon and further announced that the government is also engaging retired health personnel on a part-time basis to beef up health response.
He also assured that government is prioritizing the protection of frontline health workers by putting all necessary measures to increase their protection while capacitating them in various ways.
He said only when directives by the President and health authorities are followed will the country effectively fight COVID-19.
Message from my team:
We have observed with a sense of joy the higher compliance levels in the wearing of masks in public places as we fight Covid19 pandemic.
Yesterday, we inspected inbound and outbound traffic at Katuba Toll Plaza to check whether travelers are masking up. It was pleasing that a good number of passengers were donning the masks and those that did not have were provided freely. It was also encouraging that even the Bus Crews are demanding that no one enters their buses without a mask.
I believe that our collective efforts will defeat Covid-19.
#MaskUp #StayHome
#Covid19Zambia
Well done
This sounds civil, well done Bowman. Just work hard without fanfare and mawala, and you will win us back. Also what will help you much is to plan on how you start giving people jobs. Do you put up large state farms in Lusaka province and swallow the many youths with different trades and skills,, do you give 25 years tax relief to producers of various products from SA where we order most stuff to set up industries in Lusaka, of course coupled with sorting out the energy crisis. It requires a lot of brain storming, put up your own think tank group in Lusaka, from all sectors and opposition. Sort out the issues worrying people, you have done well on inspecting masks but let us aggressively move into bread and butter issues
If indeed you are bowman, kindly stop the nonsense of removing people from buses if they do not have masks. Give them masks. that is not too much to ask from a listening Government under the commander of the armed forces. We all have seen donations flying around
Twende read my team mesage above. We gave freely the musks tothose in need. We can’t help Everyone.
This is not a suprise, everyone know it was going to happen at some point, but the question is did MOH prepare for what is about to come out of these populated areas!! How many ventilators do we have, how much medical personnel at Matero referee center do we have, how is the capacity of the Motuary at Matero referela center etc. Incase of a lockdown of Matero, how is it going to be implemented? What lessons did we learn from the Kafue lockdown etc. Hope the teams on the grounds have the right answers to these questions!! Meanwhile practice ichipongoshi!!
DONE,WE ARE FINISHED!!!!!!!!! PEOPLE FROM THESE AREAS ARE TAKING THIS COVID-19 LIGHTLY AND DO NOT EVEN OBSERVE THE SO CALLED PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVES PUT IN PLACE,YOU KNOW WHY? THEY DULLY THINK IT IS THE DISEASE FOR THE WEALTHY NOT REALIZING THAT THEY ARE WORKING FOR THE SAME WEALTHY PEOPLE.SERIOUS SENSITIZATION SHOULD BE ROLLED OUT IN LOCAL LANGUAGES TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND ADHERE TO THE LAID DOWN GUIDE LINES.LEST WE WILL BE WIPED OUT!!!!!!! TRADES KINGS LTD HAS AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES HAS MORE EMPLOYEES FROM THOSE AREAS.IT IS HIGH TIME SCREENING AND TESTING SHOULD BE DONE WITHIN THESE COMPANY PREMISES!
Bowman Chilosha Lusambo + a Wip = Discipline
George Bester+ A Kofi=Assault
#coronavirusquarantine
Discipline kubomfya Ubwembya
Assault Kubomfya Amakofi
We warned the PF government and we saw what was happening in other countries and how they handled the situation but here in Zambia it was like small issue. Look now the entire Zambia is on fire and all because of poor planning by Edgar led government. Kkf you’re minister and you don’t question your leader’s decisions then you don’t deserve the job. A leader must be questioned, Edgar Chagwa listens but the problem may be his ministers.
We told you that corona virus is deadly and is spreading like Bush fire. It will be very difficult to contain it.
Masks alone are not enough. More stringent measures are needed – a lockdown or even a partially enforced curfew. This can go a long way in containing community based infections in areas where social distancing is practically impossible.
Use the 48 ownerless mansions as isolation centres , covid19 is now gripping the country. I hope people in other provinces are being tested otherwise we might be chasing the wind.
Bowman boyi can you rush to Ndola and force people to clean up streets of the discarded face masks?
Just shut down the city please.
Ok when we told you that Dunderhead Lusambo was actually spreading the disease with his reckless thugish bahavior you thought we were just being salty….You telling people to be indoors and you out on the streets with Police mobs with no proper protection having physical contact with everyone….am in New York,,,downtown Brooklyn and i can tell you COVID 19 is no joke….Makaka Kaizar Zulu impositor your PF bandit government will soon be out of office
Congratulations for all the efforts being put across. But my concern is on the tests being done. We have 10 provinces yet only two of those are being considered apparently. Do we need to take on extensive tests only when there is a suscipisious citizen? I doubt if the virus symptoms are visible within 6hrs, because if someone from kafue or Lusaka can move to Mwinilunga the virus symptoms will be detected by the usual temperature screening. We need to intensify the diagnosis to all provinces.
Kopola I agree with you. The need to turn those 48 houses to help isolate the people from the compounds. Also let’s start breaking down these compounds and making houses with spaces in between them. Also the Zambian Churches, Jehovah’s chitawala Kingdom Halls, seventh day buildings turned into housing to space out people. The president also needs to activate the national service with high powered masks to help shut down compounds and cities. No more kids gloves. Stoping it now while it’s still warm weather is Zambia’s prerogative. Blessings and prayers for Zambia and Africa.
We only pray this virus finds the African climate uninhabitable….
Zambia we are in deep trouble now. Our government and the leaders Lungu are not incapable of handling the Covid 19 virus. PF now show the nation how hardworking your government is. $42 millions dollars for fire trucks and 48 houses, Mukula timbers, corruption and clueless leadership at plot one. Pray for our poor people and I hope these thugs are out of office 2021.
Why are we not given daily covid testing results from the other 9 provinces.?
Does it mean there is no testing in those places ? if not then we have a big problem to solver over a long period of time because of our people have not stopped travelling countrywide.
Patriotic zambian citizen, the reason why there are no results or testing in other provinces is because of method of target testing as opposed to universal testing
Thanks bane but more thanks to the siavonga district commissioner for chasing and whipping the silly boys drinking.
If I was in Zambia now, for sure I will kick Lusambo in his big a$$ stomach for.
TELL MINISTER OF FINANCE TO PAY RETIREES/PENSIONERS AT PSPF.
I happened to have walked in george compound and matero when last visited zambia and was surprised our over population these places were are, if the virus reach them places, zambia will not cope,trust me, I have worked in nhs for number of years now and the UK is struggling with the virus and even Europe
My worry is the health workers may end up being the ones highly contaminated and consequently spreading the disease.
People who think that they speaking with the real Bowman and Kaiser are clowns.
@Boss
Not really clowns just messing with this silly attention seeker fake Bowman/Kaizer….we have plenty of these sick individuals online and its some sort of mental illness…and the majority or should i just say all bloggers on LT know that this is just a bored, miserable lonely individual trying hard to get peoples attention online because in real life he has no one to interact with
Bowman you are doing a great job
Knowing the risks involved. Let people
Cry about you doing the job.People
Are only good At criticising. Who has
Guts to do it?
This was expected given the poor framework in place.
Unfortunately, the task team is unable to even given the country a clear sense of infrastructure preparedness. Do we have a robust National COVID19 Action Plan? No.
Yet this is the first thing external help will ask for to ensure funds don’t end up in people’s pockets.
Matero ,Chibolya ,Kalingalinga and other low income Lusaka compounds are an indictment of poor PF governance.They have grown poverty instead of decreasing it.