The Ministry of Health says it has noted reduced capacity in mortuaries to hold the bodies for those dying in hospitals and in the communities.
In a statement availed to ZANIS today, Ministry Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr Kennedy Malama said the number of daily COVID-19 deaths is unprecedented as the Ministry has reported 407 deaths in just three weeks of the third wave.
“On a very sad note, our COVID-19 death remains high, as 47 new deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours,” he said.
“The cumulative number of COVID-19 related deaths recorded to date now stands at 1,691 of which 1,045 have been classified as COVID deaths and 646 are COVID-19 associated deaths,” he stated.
Dr Malama added that a total of 2,148 discharges were made of which 113 are from the COVID-19 isolation facilities and 2,035 from home management.
“There are currently 18,490 active cases, of whom 17,467 are under community management and 1,023 are admitted to our COVID-19 isolation facilities,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary stated that of the admissions, 172 are newly admitted patients within the last 24 hours.
He further noted that among those currently under admission, 701 are on Oxygen therapy and 131 are in critical condition.
Dr Malama has since described the third wave of Covid-19 as devastating looking at the evolution of the pandemic in the past month.
He said the county has continued to see an unprecedented increase in COVID 19 cases, hospitalizations and even deaths.
The Permanent Secretary said by this time last month, there were only 50 patients in the health facilities, adding that today there are over a thousand COVID-19 cases.
“The number of critical patients has gone up in the past month, from just four (4) critical patients recorded on 21st May to having 131 in critical condition,” he said.
“The saddest part of it all is we are still on an upward trend with the peak of this wave not yet in sight. Our oxygen demand, the critical drug in case management, has also gone up significantly, from having just 32 patients on oxygen countrywide a month ago to now having 701 patients on oxygen with the majority requiring high flow oxygen,” Dr Malama explained.
He said as the number of COVID-19 cases increases in the country, the hospitals both public and private offering COVID-19 isolation and treatment facilities are heavily burdened with patients, many of whom require intensive and critical care.
Dr Malama further reaffirmed government’s commitment to increasing the vaccine supply as this has proven to be an effective strategy in reducing the COVID-19 burden.
He also disclosed that in the last 24 hours, the country has recorded 1,598 new confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 6,369 tests conducted indicating 25% positivity.
“As Government we have continued mobilizing extra bed space and oxygen supply. Once again we reiterate that this fight should be fought and won in our communities,” he said.
You people please stay home and follow covid guidelines. Do not be swayed by crooked opposition leaders who are telling you to go out and campaign from the comfort of their homes on faycebook.
Initially, the well to do thought Covid 19 would annihilate the poor in this country. The rich are leaving behind their riches, riches only to be enjoyed by the undeserving.
I’m now convinced that we have the wrong people running MOH. They are worrying about mortuary space!! Really?! Is that the reason you are in that job; to ensure that there is enough space to dump our dead bodies?!
Bwana resign immediately! MOH is there to ensure that the nation is healthy not dead
We were claiming to be doing very
Well in handling Corvid so what has changed?Is it the new Minister?Corvid has it’s up and down so do not start boasting to
Be better then others.
Now they are worried about mortuary capacity …all those lies Chilufya was spewing are coming back to bite you…a pattern is beginning to form this Malama is just being used
Seems you over enrolled
New York used refrigerated trucks, we could try that. It good we are now using a professional guy to report not those politicians.
It is really troubling that with all the Covid 19 related deaths and ongoing Zambians are not moved to start scrambling for the available covid vaccines as to get some protection. Zambians find it easy to scramble for morsels of Lusambo’s charity without being careful that such gatherings are the so called super spreader situations! The MoH is dismally performing to enlighten the mindset in denial.
Provide vaccines to people instead of dramatizing the issue.
No wonder Kaizer Zulu tells you off. Mortuaries were full to capacity in UK, didn’t the govt get worried?
Dr. Keneni Malambuluka is a helpless technocrat as in charge of Technical services he should have anticipated the spite in deaths resulting from Covid-19 and other complications taken contigencey measures such as erecting refridgerated containers as mortuary facilities. Its sheer cross incompetence to announce to the public that the mortuaries are stretched to full capacity. You are in that office to fatten your neck and line your pockets with allowances but to provide solutions.. This is the reason people are angry with PF because its technocrats are only there as PAPER TIGERS who can’t do practical things. Its like these guys are out there to ensure PF i kicked out of power sooner than yesterday. What sense is the statement from this PS painting PF in the yes of the VOTERS? BLEAK…