Africa-Press – Zambia. Zambia in the last 24 hours recorded 2,816 new confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 10,918 tests conducted bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date to 146,031, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Kennedy Malama has announced.
During the routine COVID-19 update in Lusaka today, Dr. Malama said the breakdown of the new cases by province shows that Central Province recorded 280, Copperbelt 274, Eastern 399, Luapula 96, Lusaka 789, Muchinga 91, North-western 151, Southern 463 and Western Province 273 respectively.
“On a sad note, we recorded 52 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The breakdown of the new deaths by province is as follows, Lusaka 22, Copperbelt 12, Southern seven, Eastern four, North-western and Western Province recorded 2 each while Central, Muchinga and Luapula Provinces recorded one each,’ he said.
Dr. Malama indicated that the cumulative number of COVID-19 related deaths recorded to date now stands at 1,967, classified as 1,289 COVID deaths and 678 COVID-19 associated deaths.
He observed that despite the bleak clinical picture, the rate of recovery remains encouraging with 2,554 patients discharged including 169 from isolation facilities and 2,385 from home management.
“This brings the cumulative number of recoveries to 121,965. We now have 22,099 active cases, of whom 20,829 (94%) are under community management and 1,270 are admitted to our COVID-19 isolation facilities,” the Permanent Secretary noted.
Dr. Malama stated that among those currently under admission, 885 are on oxygen therapy and 187 are in critical condition adding that the country has continued to record a high number of new admissions, with 246 new admissions recorded in the last 24 hours.
“Today we call upon all Zambians to show solidarity and respond positivity so that we confront the common enemy namely COVID- 19 and Save lives, livelihoods and the economy,” Dr. Malama emphasised.
