Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya has said that social gatherings will be suspended if there is continued relaxation to COVID-19 health guidelines.
Dr Chilufya has emphasized the need for people to take precautions at social events. Dr. Chilufya said that people need to move away from the notion that COVID-19 only affects people in high social class.
Speaking during the routine update in Lusaka today, the Minister said the country has recorded 157 cases out of 1 069 tests in the last 24 hours.
He said no death has been recorded in the last 24-hours and that 347 patients have recovered.
And 3 Covid-19 survivors have urged the public to take seriously, the precautionary measures set by the ministry of health because the disease is deadly.
Meanwhile, the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has announced the closure of its offices for 14 days due to some positive COVID-19 cases that have been recorded.
CCZ General Secretary Emmanuel Chikoya said that all staff will work virtually from home while those that have tested positive have been informed and requested to be in self-isolation for 14 days.
Reverend Chikoya has also disclosed that he tested positive for COVID-19.
He told ZNBC news in a statement that there is no cause for alarm as all recorded positive cases are asymptomatic.
Reverend Chikoya has reiterated the call on all citizens to observe health guidelines on COVID-19 preventive measures such as masking up, ensuring at least one-meter social distancing, washing hands with soap and sanitizing.
HH Bally and UPND keep going around the country to organize unauthorised political gatherings with no social distancing and causing spikes in COVID-19. When we ban him completely and confine him to his house don’t blame us for being intolerant. The safety of our people is very important. Tell your HH to learn from my boss, my president who ensures that there are only few people at his public gatherings and he ensures they observe social distancing. Bally is trying to make politics out of this pandemic and we shall fix him soon.
You and the entire PF have been doing that since the outbreak of covid19, Its on record Mumbi Phiri was even mocking HH for not campaigning.
You shouldn’t think you`re more clever than anyone in this country and the president Lungu will not be in office forever. #Insone Ebuntu
Chitalu Chilufya has my support on this one. Zambia is a country that deliberately looks for crises.
My clone above aka tarino, not a bad attempt at trying to be me. Listen just try and be a bit more innovative in your comments as yours seem fairly predictable and people can tell not much thought has been given to them. Tarino no need to clone my account to try and hurt me because all publicity is good publicity for us. Also don’t make it obvious as since you started posting using a cloned account we have not seen your tarino account here.
Who really in Pf regime is supposed to ban social gatherings, is it the police, Lusambo or Chilufya Chitalu facing theft charges, may be its rogue Kaizer Zulu on behalf of president Lungu.
Zambians are looking for leadership
Social gatherings? OK, but what kind of gathering was that when the “hon” minister went to court the other day together with his throng of supporters?
BTW – this is harmful misinformation from Reverend Chikoya: “He told ZNBC news in a statement that there is no cause for alarm as all recorded positive cases are asymptomatic.” Really? Asymptomatic people can still pass on the virus to others who may become symptomatic. That’s what they do! I suppose people look up to this so-called “reverend” so unless he is well informed would be better off hushing up. What he says here is wrong and dangerous.
South Africa has downgraded lock down and all sectors are open on Tues despite the spike in numbers because they have built capacity to manage the disease. Here you continue to be cry babies issuing threats to citizens.
“He told ZNBC news in a statement that there is no cause for alarm as all recorded positive cases are asymptomatic”
Is this man serious?
Whats makes covid-19 very dangerous is because its unknowingly spread by people who are asymptomatic.
High social class warns lower social class… circus.
Who wants to listen to this stinking thief, fu.ck him and all his enablers!
This Minister is not normal. I think covid-19 has eroded his brain. How did he pass medicine if he does not know what asymptomatic mean. People are dying and he says they are asymptomatic, this PF lying behaviour is clouding his mind.
It is taking about 10 days for Covid-19 test results to be released! So what does the minister really mean when he says the LAST 24 hours???
Diasporans millions have died there in Europe and the west due to poor response to the virus. Here in Zambia we have not had even a fraction of those fatalities. It is easier for you to criticize Zambia because there in diaspora the won’t let you speak freely as a second class citizen. They are keeping you there so you can’t open your mouth you biased asylum seekers
You kaizer sosala, where are u speaking from right now? You are also a diaspora. So shut up pls!
Does he have the power? Isnt that reserved for the President?
Personally I feel we need more leadership on the issue! We need the one person we elected not only to stop social gathering but lead the fight. No wonder more and more think it’s a lie. People are seeing the one person who matters is all over with a lot of gathering with no regard to the very guidelines police are beating or charging people for!
Looking at the global and local statistics, the Covid-related death rate is 2 to 3%. This means out of every 100 Covid cases, only 2 to 3 will die and 97 to 98 will survive. Why then is MOH creating such panic and alarm when the death rate is this low? Do they have any idea what damage their proposed restrictions are doing to people’s livelihoods and the Economy? Shouldn’t they have come up with strategies on how to manage the most at risk groups like those with HIV, the overweight and obese, High Blood pressure, Diabetes, Asthmatics, cancer and everyone with a known underlying condition? These should be the people to be stratified than grounding the entire Economy! Look how Tanzania was praised by the World Bank for not shutting down the Economy and using their own home strategies. Us…
@Mpatamatu guy, not the President but the constitution laws enacted under it.
…and laws enacted under it.
@Devil’s Advocate: Very true, my man. What is lacking in Zambia are strategies with local context. While the Minister warns and announces cases, look at the recoveries?? What baffles me is the lax attitude at Soweto and other bus stops and markets. RSA is easing restrictions to allow the economy to pick up, and Zambia has kept bars shut for 5 months with no plan for any help for these mostly Zambian owned businesses.
I agree with you minister…