The Ministry of Health has noted with sadness the rate at which people are evading the law with regards to public health directives and guidelines.
MOH Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Kennedy Malama observed that inspections and enforcement conducted last weekend on premises and patrons depicted a non-compliance of the COVID-19 health guidelines.
Dr Malama has urged the public to be compliant and avoid punitive action.
“It was disheartening to find people cramped in unhealthy environments including being packed into rooms with little or no ventilation creating super spreader conditions for further spread of COVID 19. We would like to restate that we will not rest and all those found wanting will be brought to book.
He said in last 24 hours, the multisectoral task teams inspected a total 1,922 premises countrywide of which 1,666 (88%) were compliant, 169 (9%) were served with notices and 47 (3%) were closed.
Meanwhile Dr. Malama revealed that in the last 24 hours the country recorded 4,948 dose 1 and 1,378 dose 2 of AstraZeneca vaccinations.
He said the cumulative vaccine doses administered now stands at 224,420 dose 1 vaccinations (217,521 AstraZeneca and 6,899 Sinopharm) and of which, 65,528 have gone on to receive dose 2 vaccinations.
Dr Malama further clarified that it is only Lusaka that has depleted its dose 1 allocation.
“We would like to reassure the public that we are working hard to acquire additional vaccine doses and have these in the country at the earliest possible time. This week we expect to receive an update from the COVAX Facility when our next consignment of Johnson and Johnson will arrive and the Nation will be updated immediately,” he said.
Dr. Malama said in the last 24 hours, the country recorded 630 new confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 3,174 tests conducted.
He added that despite the reduced absolute numbers of both the new cases and the tests conducted, the overall positivity remains high at 20%.
The cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date stands at 186,279.
“The distribution of the new cases and within province positivity are as follows: Central 60 (19%), Copperbelt 93 (15%), Eastern 40 (35%), Lusaka 210 (20%), Muchinga 39 (15%), Northern 47 (36%), North-western 35 (21%), Southern 36 (12%) and Western 70 (31%), he said.
Dr. Malama said a total of 29 new COVID-19 related deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.
He added that a total of 1,621 patients (71 from our isolation facilities and 1,550 from home management) were discharged from the COVID-19 centres bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 173,320 (93% recovered overall).
The Permanent Secretary noted that the number of active cases yesterday has fallen to below 10,000 for the first time since June 10, 2021.
“We currently have 9,846 active cases, with 9,059 (92%) under community management and 787 (8%) admitted to our COVID-19 isolation facilities. We had 96 new admissions in the last 24hours (compared to 94 the previous day). Among those currently admitted, 583 (74%) are on Oxygen therapy and 134 (17%) are in critical condition,” he added.
Dr Malama has however expressed concern over the pool of critical ill patients in the past week and has since warned the public against being complacent and to observe the public health guidelines and social directives.
AE YOU REFERRING TO OUR PRESIDENT ??
As long as Edgar China Lungu attends super spreader events disguised as working visits the MoH should be VERY quiet!
Total adherence to the Covid19 protocol is the need of the hour. We have to protect our country. No matter, what selfish politicians like HH say, we have to stick to the safety measures. It is for our own protection. HH won’t come to our help. He has palatial home to hide. We will be left to fend for ourselves. Only ECL will be there to help us.
It is time to show how responsible citizens we are. It is time to stand with the government to protect the country.
It is not heroic act to defy the guidelines. The Corona virus doesn’t spare anyone. Keep this in mind.
Government is working hard to protect us from the virus. It is our duty to follow the guidelines in total. Even a small mistake can flush out the massive efforts.
Dear Zambians, please don’t take it lightly. Corona virus is really fatal. We need to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
It is a good news that vaccination is going on in full swing. It will provide protection against the virus. Still we need to follow the guidelines.
Government need to get strict with those not complying the Covid19 guidelines. We can’t afford to be lenient as it will prove fatal for the entire country.
Most of the places, people are following the guidelines. But when it comes to political parties, they are blatantly violating in the name of campaign. UPND Alliance is at forefront of the violations.
It is high time the people understood the gravity of the problem. We can’t afford to be complacent.
Commenter #2 is right , Lungu has been setting the wrong Covid 19 example with his disguised “work visits”
Same person with the South African flag making ‘patriotic’ comments above – but wanting it to appear as several people. Why?
The Ministry of Health must do urgent research from the records for those who have died from COVID-19 and see who is most vulnerable,then from the population prioritize that group. In most countries it has been found that those above 55 yrs with co morbidities such as Hypertention, Diabetes, obesseed and Cardiac heart diseases ,Asthma are at risk.
Instead of randomly giving the vaccines, prioritise this group to include also the Police, Military, Judiciary , heavy-duty long-haul drivers and teachers.The current arrangement where people stand for long hrs to be vaccinated is not proper.
I have learnt a big lesson covid-19, it has shaken my bigger family. It has claimed more than 10 beloved ones in a space of 16 days some are still receiving medication in various hospitals. Its deadly those who approaching the health guidelines by Ministry of Health headed makamaka by Dr. KENNEDY MALAMA are risking their lives and others. i used to hear numbers and names from afar but now right on my door step.