ZAMBIA has recorded 67 new COVID-19 cases and three facility deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 295.

And Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya says the cumulative number of confirmed cases now stands at 12, 776 and cumulative recoveries at 11, 674.

Speaking at the daily COVID-19 updates in Lusaka, Sunday, Dr Chilufya observed that cases of people being brought in ill for Covid-19 were on the rise.

“In the last 24 hours, 67 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded out of 1,112 tests done. Three facility deaths. We need to note that those who come in very ill are on the rise. Secondly, we lost three patients and these three that we lost at the Levy facility, one is a 35 year old young man who was hypertensive and in with less blood pressure and quickly succumbed before a lot could be done. Secondly we saw a 50 year old diabetic who also has respiratory distress and succumbed; and thirdly we had an 84 year old patient who had underlining diabetics. Now, we also see old age on the one end and young age on the other end being infected. We need to protect the elderly and keep them home. They succumb to COVID-19. We also had kidney failure in patients where one of them quickly succumbed. The whole bottom line for you and me is ensuring that we protect ourselves,” Dr Chilufya said.

And Dr Chilufya said six patients have were discharged in the last 24 hours.

“If you look at the cases recorded, again its geographic wide spread, Mpika, Ndola, Chilanga, Lusaka, Kalomo, Mazabuka and this picture continues to show the generalized infection in the country. At Lusaka’s Levy Hospital, we now have 29 patients out of which 18 are on oxygen, six critical and in the ICU. On the Copperbelt, Nothern, Muchinga, and Southern Province combined, we have a total of 16 patients with seven who are on oxygen. We have discharged six patients in the last 24 hours. And therefore when you look at our cumulative numbers, we have 12, 776 out of 123, 346 tests conducted so far. Recoveries continue to be high and these are 11, 674. And we have 295 deaths where 100 are classified as COVID deaths and 195 AS COVID associated deaths,” said Dr Chilufya.