• Health Minister says the country has recorded 555 new Covid-19 cases out of 3,910 tests conducted.
• This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date to 75,582.
• The Minister has commended health care workers for making it possible for the country to continue delivering routine services.

Health Minister says the country has recorded 555 new Covid-19 cases out of 3,910 tests conducting 14 percent positivity with 9 deaths.
Speaking during the latest Covid-19 update Dr Jonas Chanda said 178 cases have been reported in Lusaka Province, 136 North-western in Province, 118 Northern in Province, 47 Eastern in Province, 30 from Southern Province, 22 in Luapula province, 12 Copperbelt Province, 9 Western province, and 3 Central Province.
Dr Chanda noted that this brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date to 75,582.

He has explained that of the 9 deaths recorded 3 have been reported from the Copperbelt, 3 in North-western Province, 1 in Luapula, 1 in Lusaka and 1 in Western Province.

The Minister said this brings the cumulative number of COVID-19 related deaths to 1,040, with 564 deaths being classified as COVID-19 deaths and 476 as COVID-19 associated deaths.

“The country has also reported an additional 508 discharges from both COVID-19 isolation facilities and home management, bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 69,436 which indicates 92 percent recovery rate,” he said.

Dr Chanda said the country has 5,106 active cases of which, 4,789 are under community management whereas 317 are admitted in various COVID- 19 isolation facilities out of which, 209 are on Oxygen therapy and 41 are in critical condition.

And the Minister has commended health care workers for making it possible for the country to continue delivering routine services, while managing the increased demands on the health care system for close to a year that the county has battled the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Chanda noted that the resilience exhibited by the staff and indeed the health system as a whole is testament to the fact that Covid-19 challenges are not insurmountable.

He said government in collaboration with its numerous partners across sectors, has worked tirelessly to mount an effective response despite the numerous challenges faced along the way.