HEALTH Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has announced that the country has recorded 34 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours.

And Dr Chilufya says the total number of deaths is 292, out for the cumulative 12,415 positive cases recorded so far.

Speaking at the daily COVID-19 briefing, Wednesday, Dr Chitalu said Zambia recorded its first covid related BID in Lundazi.

“In the last 24 hours, we conducted 729 tests out of which 34 came out positive. We unfortunately recorded three deaths out of which, one facility death at the University Teaching Hospital while we were waiting to move the patient to Levy. A 55-year-old Hypertensive patient with underlying challenges of diabetes did succumb to COVID-19 after developing respiratory failure. The other mortality involved a 74-year-old man at Levy Mwanawasa Hospital. We recorded a Brought In Dead (BID) in Lundazi and this is the first time we recorded a BID in Lundazi due to COVID-19,” Dr Chilufya said.

He said new districts like Nkushi in Central Province and Lumezi in Eastern Province had recorded their first COVID-19 cases.

“What is also unique about figures for today is that we have seen districts that have not recorded COVID-19 before like Mkushi today recorded its first COVID-19 case. This then brings the number of districts in the country that are affected by COVID-19 to 71. Against that, it shows the generalized infection and the wide geographic spread,” Dr Chitalu said.

He disclosed that 29 patients were admitted to Levy Mwanawasa COVID facility and 12 in other provinces outside Lusaka.

“29 patients are currently admitted to Levy COVID-19 facility and out of these, 14 are on oxygen, four (04) are in intensive care unit. Outside Lusaka, put together we have 12 patients with five (05) on oxygen therapy. Out of these, seven (07) are on the Copperbelt, three (03) in Southern Province and two (02) in Northern Province,” the minister said.

And Dr Chilufya said 15 patients had been discharged from isolation facilities in the last 24 hours as the cumulative total number of recoveries stood at 11,494.

“We have in the last 24 hours discharged 15 patients from our isolation facilities and that brings now the cumulative number of cases to 12,415 out of 118, 553 tests conducted so far. Recoveries continue to be high at 11, 494. Our deaths are now at 292 of which 97 are classified as COVID-19 deaths while 195 are COVID-19 associated deaths. We do take note that 90 per cent of the cases detected have recovered so far and that’s a decent recovery rate,” said Dr Chilufya.