MINISTER of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya says Zambia has recorded 182 new COVID-19 cases out of 9,275 tests done in the last seven days.

And Dr Chilufya has announced that Western Province has recorded its first nine cases of COVID-19, and that one of the affected patients died at Lewanika General Hospital.

Meanwhile, Dr Chilufya says there have been 154 discharges in the last seven days.

He also announced that President Edgar Lungu would address the nation on new measures later this week.

“In the last seven days, we have recorded 182 new cases of COVID-19 out of a total of 9,275 tests. Western Province has recorded its first nine cases. New cases broken down include 26 community members, that is 22 out of Nakonde, two out of Chingola, one in Chililabombwe and one in Senga Hill. Again 17 were known contacts, from Lusaka that was 13, from Kafue three and Kalalushi one. We did record two cases of health workers in Ndola. 36 were recorded out of the facility based surveillance routine screening, these included; 20 from Lusaka, six from Ndola, five from Mongu, Kaoma two, Senanga one, Sesheke one, Chingola one and our points of entry at the KK International Airport three,” said Dr Chilufya.

“Out of the mass screening that we were conducting in various parts of the country, particularly Chilabombwe, Kitwe, Lusaka we got 54 and 34 truck drivers from Nakonde, Livingstone and Chirundu. It is also unfortunate that out of the nine cases that we got from Western Province, one died. The deceased who died in Lewanika General Hospital had underlined health conditions and the sample collected during the routine review did test positive to COVID-19. A total of 154 patients from our isolation facilities have been discharged in the last seven days. Therefore, that brings the total number cases country wide to date 1,382 out of the 45,248 conducted so far. Deaths are now at 11 and recoveries are at 1,142. All the patients that are in our various facilities remain stable.”