Africa’s copper hotspot currently faces a rising health crisis barely a few months after taming the first COVID strain. Infections have seen a recent surge ranging between 250 to 353 on a daily basis as reported by the health authorities. These have been attributed to a slackened approach by citizens towards adhering to social distancing, masking and hand sanitization.
Speaking during a Sunday interview on national television, Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) Director Professor Victor Mukonka attributed the spike in cases over the last week to increase in public gatherings such as in drinking places, bridal parties and weddings. Professor Mukonka counseled citizens on the need to adhere to the five golden rules to curb the new strain of COVID dubbed 501YV2 which is much more aggressive than the first strain recorded last year.
Zambia has experienced numbers north of 1,500 cases in the last week with its isolation centers recording an increase in utilization.
“I urge religious, political, council and traditional leaders to help in spreading awareness across the country on the need for behavioral change that will help save lives,” Mukonka said.
“This crisis has capacity to dent the economy, affect our ways of life and impede any meaningful activity,” he said.
Zambian health authorities are currently in talks with Africa CDC a regional technical grouping arm of the African Union and other bilateral partners for virus vaccines though access will be limited the ZNPHI Chief echoed. The first vaccines are expected in the country at the end of February. The copper producer has to date recorded 21,582 with 19,083 recoveries and 394 deaths.
The Kwacha Arbitrageur.
