MINISTRY of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr Kennedy Malama says 10 new COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours.

And Dr Malama says Northern and North-Western provinces have recorded the highest COVID-19 positivity rates.

In a statement, Wednesday, Dr Malama said the cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date now stands at 201,342.

“Whereas we have seen a reduction in positivity at national level and in Lusaka, Copperbelt and Southern Provinces, other Provinces particularly North-Western and the Northern circuit Provinces, the situation has not yet stabilized. As earlier alluded to, we see that Northern and North-Western provinces posted the highest positivity rates while other provinces in the northern circuit also have higher positivity rates, close to 10%. The cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date now stands at 201,342,” Dr Malama said.

“We recorded 10 new COVID-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours, seven of which were classified as COVID-19 deaths. The breakdown of the new deaths by province is as follows: Lusaka four, Copperbelt two, North-western two, Eastern one, and Luapula one. The cumulative number of COVID-19 related deaths recorded to date now stands at 3,509 (classified as 2,636 COVID-19 deaths and 873 COVID-19 associated deaths). Though the situation has improved, we continue recording deaths, mostly from among the cohort of critical patients in hospitals as well as those presenting late to health facilities.”

Dr Malama said 512 new confirmed COVID-19 cases had been recorded in the last 24 hours.

“In the last 24 hours, we recorded 512 new confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 7,921 tests (6% positivity). The distribution of the new cases and within province positivity are as follows: Central 46 (7%), Copperbelt 62 (7%), Eastern 73 (9%), Luapula 43 (9%), Lusaka 22 (1%), Muchinga 46 (9%), Northern 75 (15%), North-western 63 (20%), Southern 40 (5%), and Western 42 (10%). We discharged 211 patients (43 from facilities and 168 from community management), bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 193,547 (96% recovered). We currently have 4,286 active cases, with 4,043 (94%) under community management and 243 (6%) admitted to our COVID-19 isolation facilities. We had 29 new admissions in the last 24hours. Among those currently admitted, 159 (65%) are on Oxygen therapy and 67 (28%) are in critical condition,” he said.

Dr Malama said Zambia would be receiving an additional consignment of 119,000 doses of AstraZeneca on Friday to supplement the vaccine basket.

“Vaccination remains a key strategy for ensuring reduction in severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths. We continue to encourage all those yet to receive the full complement of 2 doses of AstraZeneca to do so at the earliest possible time. We are aware that a number of people will become due for their second dose later this month, and we are happy to report that we will be receiving an additional consignment of 119,000 doses of AstraZeneca on Friday 13th August 2021 to supplement our vaccine basket,” Dr Malama said.

“We administered 1,461 Dose 1 and 832 Dose 2 AstraZeneca vaccinations as well as 5,417 doses of Johnson and Johnson. The breakdown of the cumulative vaccinations by vaccine type is as follows: 305,427 Dose 1 vaccinations (298,528 AstraZeneca and 6,899 Sinopharm) and 205,990 fully vaccinated [i.e. 104,853 Dose 2 AstraZeneca (35% of those that received dose 1); 94,801 Johnson and Johnson, and 6,336 Dose 2 Sinopharm (92% of those that received dose 1)]. In summary, of the 872,000 total doses we have received as a country, we have administered a cumulative 511,417 doses (59%) to date.”