Coronavirus cases in Zambia from March to July may have been 92 times higher than official statistics showed, according to estimates from a study published in the Lancet Global Health journal.
Researchers tested people for infection in six districts across Zambia in July, and used the results to estimate a total of 454,708 cases for the period.
That compared with the government’s official number of 4,917 infections.
The study suggests the pandemic affected many African nations far worse than was reported, largely because of a low level of testing.
Most of the cases in Zambia were asymptomatic and hospitals in the country were not under strain during the period of the study.
That could be because of Zambia’s young population, according to the report, dated March 9.
The research was carried out during the first wave of the outbreak in Zambia, when recorded cases were relatively low.
Like most countries in the region, the subsequent wave spurred by a variant first identified in South Africa, was worse.
Zambia, which has officially recorded about 83,000 infections and 1,137 deaths, is yet to announce plans to vaccinate its population.
“Between March and December, 2020, more than 20?000 laboratory-confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were reported in Zambia. However, the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections is likely to be higher than the confirmed case counts because many infected people have mild or no symptoms, and limitations exist with regard to testing capacity and surveillance systems in Zambia,” the report said.
So Zambia is lying just like Tanzania ? I hope Zed’s numbers are low and btw John Magufuli is reportedly a Covid patient in Nairobi Kenya.That’s the high price for Covid 19 denial.
THIS WAS STATED BEFORE AND SHOT DOWN BY GOVERNMENT AND MOTOR MOUTH
THIS GOVERNMENT DOESNT KNOW THE MEANING OF BEING HONEST
GOOD FOR LANCET AT LEAST WE IN THE TRUE PICTURE NOW
WHERE ARE THE VACCINES ???? NOT THE ONES FOR THE INNER CIRCLE WHICH BELIEVED TO GIVEN A WHILE AGO
Only a fooool can trust the likes of Dr Chilufya …he is now a free man enjoying his loot after the short changing the MOH and the whole country with expired drugs and defective contraceptives
A study which says “may” and which is undertaken by a western funded entity which hoped and predicted that millions in Africa would die. Which sensible person can believe this nonsense? Only brainwashed coons like the upnd diasporan can believe such. Fuseke
The west ars upset that they failed to deal with this virus and millions there have died. If I was a upnd diasporan I would be very worried to be abroad at the moment. We hear the strain of virus there in UK is strong and the minority are more at risk. Yayaya
YEAH YEAH LETS CARRY ON LIVING IN THE DARK AGES ALL WESTENERS ARE USLESS YET WE OWE OUR VERY EXSISTANCE TO THEM
AND WHEN WE RUN OUT OF FUNDS WHO DO WE AFRICANS RUN TO ???
SOME BLOGGERS ARE JUST BORN STUPID
Tikki stop acting like a dry mb0I0. How deep can you lick a whlte mans a55hole
These are sponsored projectsanishing africans name and our country at large.there is no covid 19 mu zambia fyabufi
KAIZER YOU CALL YOURSELF A STRATEGIST ……. YOU HAVENT A CLUE … ALL YOU DO IS TAKE TRASH AND TRYING TO GAIN
POPULARITY WITH FALSEHOODS
IS IT A CRIME TO ADMIT YOU MAY HAVE GOT THE NUMBERS WRONG ??
IS IT A CRIME FOR PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN A DFFERENT PARTY ?
WE IN ZAMBIA ARE NOT AN ISLAND AND WE NEED THE REST OF THE WORLD
No country in this world can boosts and say the infiction that we had for this period is this because they never tested the whole population ? ?. Its sad reading ? and hearing when the country say we had this number of infection
Many people have been dying from suspected “malaria ” which in fact is covid 19.
In the near future, Zamstats will have to explain the large increase in deaths in 2020 and 2021.
I bet they will find it difficult to attribute the deaths to the usual AIDS,TB and Malaria cases
Very unfortunate to hear that Zambia is not prepared for the covid-19 vacation.
This is a clear indication of lack leadership and wrong priorities. Mean while Lungu is so obsessed with returning power at all cost, to come and waste our time again. What is urgent covid-19 or cyber bill?
This write-up does not cite who the authors were and their institutional affiliations. This is rather absurd. It also does not give any interpretation to the fact that most cases were asymptomatic and the aftermath since July a year ago. If there were millions who were infected and most were asymptomatic, it then means that were already close to achieving herd immunity and almost out of the woods. Then the issue of being vaccinated falls through
Kaizer Zulu, stop insulting people here. We can undress your mother you would wish you were not born. Stop it now. Don’t think you are superman. We can unload like you have never heard. Last time you are being warned. And I mean it.
I only have one word for such reports in my vocabulary: Propaganda.
@POMPWE LUNGU
WELL DONE LETS HOPE YOU FOLLOW THROUGH MOST OF US ARE BEHIND YOU
YOU DEFINITELY RECEIVED POST OF THE DAY !!!!!
ENJOY YOUR BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY
@ Chibwachamazakala:
You ask a good question about who the authors are and a quick Google will tell us. The article was published by the Lancet as open access so is available to all and lists over 30 authors with Lloyd Mulenga of the Zambia Ministry of Health, University Teaching Hospital, and Levy Mwanawasa Medical University as the first author. By far, most other authors have Zambian names and direct Zambian affiliations!
Shame on some for jumping to conclusions that Zambians cannot contribute to global research and piece can only be a “western plot”. The other tragedy is that no one talks about vaccinations which are clearly needed for economic recovery. When will Zambia see progress with that?
As usual Zambia will be begging for free vaccine. Join the waiting list.
If they offer money to purchase then it’s available. Since Zambia is broke and have not paid two coupon instalments where do you think the treasury will borrow from.
However the convict has been dishing out millions in hand outs and gifts such as bicycles and buses. All of a sudden government has the funds all in the name of vote buying and bribing to vote for buck if thieves and criminals
Zambian Covid-19 Cases May Have Been 92 Times More Than Reported-Lancet ????????????
AND THIS WAS DENIED BY ZK
NOW THE DAWN IS COMING
Lancert you know that no one can hide a pandemic because when people die no one keeps quiet, however there are more people dying in Zambia due HIV and no one wants to say a word every year 20000 Zambians die from HIV but where lancert how about those who die from malaria 17000 Zambians die every year from malaria where is lancert to report or find a solution to malaria.