Zambia’s Covid-19 cases have risen to 1, 099 after 32 more people tested positive for the Virus in the last five days.

Speaking during the 62nd Covid-19 update, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr. Kennedy Malama said the Ministry conducted 3, 361 tests out of which the 32 cases were detected and that all the patients are stable.

Dr. Malama said the cases include 2 contacts to known positive cases in Lusaka, 6 routine screening, 20 truck drivers and 4 from community screening in Nakonde.

“The cases we are reporting on today include 2 contacts to known cases from within Lusaka, 6 from routine screening comprising Lusaka five and Ndola 1, 20 truck drivers from Nakonde 4, Chirundu 4, Chipata 1, Ndola 3, Livingstone 5, Chanida in Eastern Province 2 and Mwami also in Eastern Province 1. We also recorded 4 from community screening in Nakonde,” Dr. Malama said.

He added that 133 people have been discharged from isolation facilities bringing the total number of recoveries to 876 while the number of deaths still stands at 7.

“The cumulative number of cases is now 1, 099 for Zambia including the 7 deaths we have been updating you on. We have also recorded now a total of 876 recoveries as a country and all patients remaining under isolation are in stable condition,” he stated.

Dr. Malama further said the country has continued to monitor persons at high risk and a total of 5, 089 have successfully completed the 14 day mandatory quarantine period.

He disclosed that the response teams have cleared none cases amounting to 2, 646 and these were the alerts which the Ministry received.

He also revealed that the Ministry has increased the number of testing sites in the country to six with the support of various stakeholders.

“You are aware that recently we updated that Eastern Province has joined the platform and is able to test. This expansion in testing will enable us to test more samples and improve our turnaround time,” he said.