MINISTRY of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr Kennedy Malama says Zambia has in the last 24 hours recorded 178 new COVID-19 cases out of 1,224 tests conducted, bringing the cumulative total of cases to 11,779.

Giving a daily COVID-19 update, Friday, Dr Malama said the 178 news cases were recorded in nine districts.

He said 36 patients were currently admitted to Lusaka’s Levy Mwanawasa COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment centre, out of which 20 were on oxygen, eight in the intensive care unit with one critically sick on a ventilator.

Dr Malama added that 32 patients were admitted to isolation facilities outside Lusaka, with nine of them on oxygen.

“In the last 24 hours Zambia has recorded 178 new COVID-19 cases out of 1,224 tests we conducted. This brings the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 11,779. The 178 cases are as follows; Lusaka district 166 cases, Kafue one, Chinsali two, Itezhi-Tezhi one, Mumbwa one, Chikankanta four, Livingstone one, Kalomo one and Ndola one. Currently we have 36 patients who are admitted to Lusaka’s Levy Mwanawasa COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment centre. Of these, 20 are on oxygen, eight are admitted in the intensive care unit with one critically sick on a ventilator. Outside Lusaka, we have 32 patients admitted to our isolation facilities, with nine of them on oxygen,” he said.

Dr Malama said they also recorded one facility death at Levy Mwanawasa, being a 46-year-old male patient who also had diabetes mellitus or sugar disease and hypertension, bringing the cumulative deaths linked with COVID-19 to 283.

He said 105 patients had been discharged today, bringing the cumulative number of recoveries in Zambia to 10,945.

Dr Malama insisted that COVID-19 outbreak in Zambia was still active and further urged people not to drop their guard.

“As a country we continue to report new cases of COVID-19 in almost all our provinces. We also continue recording deaths, as we continue mounting a response to COVID-19. Let me re-emphasize that COVID-19 outbreak in Zambia is still active and we must ensure that we apply consented efforts to make a difference. It’s clear that the impact of COVID-19 has gone beyond the health sector, with repercussions felt across the various sectors of our society, not stressing, the social-economic disruptions our country has experienced the past five months. This diverse effect demands a multi-sectoral, collaborated and comprehensive response that will reverse both the trend of the outbreak and the negative economic impact we have experienced. This, we can reverse the trend as a collective,” he said.

“We continue hearing sentiments that COVID-19 has finished in Zambia. We haven’t reached that stage. When we are informed by the evolution, the epidemiology of COVID-19, we shall guide the country accordingly. For now we don’t need to drop the guard.”

He said government was aware of efforts by stakeholders, both within and outside government, who had come on board to make significant contributions to the COVID-19 fight.

“It has been encouraging to note the strengthening of our response through enhanced enforcement by our various ministries. Particularly, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Local Government, we have seen prosecution of some of those who are not adhering to what is stipulated and we urge our sister ministries to continue. We are confident that this will translate into increased adherence to public health measures, particularly to masking in public places. We are aware of the other efforts by other stakeholders, both within and outside government who have come on board to make significant contributions to the COVID-19 fight. We must continue to work together if we are to win this fight,” said Dr Malama.