HEALTH Minister Sylvia Masebo says the ministry is investigating suspected food poisoning among people who drunk munkoyo at a wedding ceremony in Nampundwe, which has left one person dead.
And Masebo says 219 pupils and three teachers from Buyantanshi Technical School were on Tuesday managed at Nchanga North General Hospital following a suspected gassing incident in the school.
In a statement, Wednesday, Masebo said five persons were admitted to the University Teaching Hospital while another 32 were treated in the Out-Patients Department at Nampundwe healthcare facility for suspected food poisoning.
“We are investigating suspected food poisoning among people who drunk munkoyo at a wedding ceremony in Nampundwe. Five persons are admitted to the University Teaching Hospital and two at Nampundwe healthcare facility. Another 32 were treated in our Out-Patients Department at Nampundwe healthcare facility. Sadly one person died in transit to UTH. Furthermore, we received and managed 219 pupils and three teachers from Buyantanshi Technical School yesterday 28 September 2021 at Nchanga North General Hospital following a suspected gassing incident in the school. Four pupils are admitted for observation as well as to manage their underlying conditions,” she said.
And Masebo said 90 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours.
“In the last 24 hours, we detected 90 new confirmed COVID-19 cases out of the 6,983 tests conducted (1% overall national positivity). Eight of the ten provinces reported new cases; Central and Eastern did not detect any positives from the tests conducted. The breakdown of the new cases and within province positivity are as follows: Central province 0 (0.0%), Copperbelt province 10 (1.4%), Eastern province 0 (0.0%), Luapula province 3 (1.1%), Lusaka province 2 (0.1%), Muchinga 7 (2.0%), Northern province 10 (1.0%), North-western 50 (10.3%), Southern 1 (0.1%), Western 7 (2.7%). The cumulative number of COVID-19 confirmed cases recorded to date now stands at 209,002,” she said.
Masebo revealed that one COVID-19 related death was also recorded in the last 24 hours.
“One new death was recorded in the last 24 hours, from the Copperbelt province. This brings the cumulative number of COVID-19 related deaths recorded to date to 3,648 (classified as 2,732 COVID-19 deaths and 916 COVID-19 associated deaths). We currently have 478 active cases (up from 418 reported yesterday) under either admission to an isolation facility or home management for those who are asymptomatic and/or low risk,” said Masebo.
“In the last 24 hours, we had only 1 new admission from Northern province, and conversely we had 1 discharge made from Northern province also. Currently 24 (5%) of the active cases are admitted, with the majority being in North-western (9) and Lusaka (7) provinces. Of the 24 admitted, 14 (58%) on Oxygen therapy and 8 (33%) are in critical condition. Patients being managed from home: We had 28 patients discharged from home management, having met the WHO criteria for discharge, leaving 454 (95%) of the active patients currently under home management. Following the combined 29 discharges from home management and isolation facilities in the last 24 hours, the cumulative number of recoveries recorded to date now stands at 204,876 (98% recovered).”
Masebo said the cumulative number of doses administered to date was 720,260.
