Zambia records 3 new cases of COVID-19

Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - Zambia has recorded three more positive COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, Health minister Chitalu Chilufya disclosed on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka, Chilufya said that two cases involve two females aged 23 and 29 respectively who were contacts of a man from Makeni, within Lusaka, while the third case is a 26-year-old man who arrived from Poland on 12 April 2020 aboard Ethiopian Airlines.

The minister said cumulatively the Covid-19 cases now stand at 48, with 2 deaths, 30 recoveries and 16 admissions who are all stable, including a 74-year-old man who is recuperating well and off oxygen support.

He said that tests conducted in the country now stand at 2,336 while 637 alerts were recorded with all of them testing negative.

Government on Tuesday announced the lockdown on Kafue district, south of Lusaka, with effect from Wednesday following the death of a man from COVID-19. He resided in Kafue.

Chilufya said that the district remains an area of interest for now in order to increase testing and screening before the disease can spread and become a bigger public health threat.

The lockdown in Kafue, which has paved the way for massive testing and screening, will give a clear evidence of extent of cases in the district, according to the minister.

He urged full cooperation from Kafue residents to ensure they give the health authorities the support they need.

“The only way of reducing coronavirus is by entrenching in our communities the reduction of person-to-person transmissions and you should help us by staying home, mask up and cooperate with public health authorities in various jurisdictions,” he added.

-0- PANA MM/AR 15April2020