HEALTH minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has linked the rapid spread of Coronavirus and the rising death toll in Zambia to crowds.
In a COVID-19 update this morning, Dr Chitalu Chilufya announced
154 new cases and two fresh deaths.
Of the new infections 15 are members of parliament while 11 are National Assembly staff.
Two members of parliament have so far died of COVID-19 forcing the House to adjourn.
Zambia now has a cumulative total of 3,843 COVID-19 cases and a 136 deaths.
“We have noted as we do our surveillance for mortality, a very clear pattern – those who are unwell are linked to some crowd activities,” Dr Chilufya said.
He said the Ministry of Health had noted a very clear link to those who are getting unwell and attendance of funerals in the past.
Dr Chilufya said there was a call from President Edgar Lungu that, “let’s hold hands, let’s work together to defeat COVID-19.”
“Going forward our public inspectors would be very strict in supervising disposal of bodies of people who died of COVID-19 in order to protect relatives and mourners,” he said.
Dr Chilufya discouraged the attendance of funerals.
“You attend a funeral, you crowd up, you put yourself at risk, you also put others at risk,” he said.
Dr Chilufya applauded people who had resolved to not to hold funeral gatherings due to COVID-19.
He warned that by attending funerals and gathering in crowds, people were risking their lives and those of others.
“Country men and women it is not time to carry out business as usual, we can’t carry on doing funerals as we have done in the past,” he said.
Dr Chilufya said President Lungu’s message to Zambians was that; “we can stop COVID-19 if you and I act responsibly.”
“We mask up, wash our hands watch that distance, avoid crowded places, unnecessary travels and make sure we stay home,” advised Dr Chilufya.
©Kalemba July 24, 2020
