40 Covid patients on oxygen, 5 in ICU

FOURTY Covid-19 patients in Zambia are on oxygen support with five in the Intensive Care Unity, Ministry of Health permanent secretary for administration, Kakulubelwa Mulalelo has said.

And Ms Mulalelo said five Covid-19 related deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, with four being BIDs (brought in dead) cases and the one a patient in the Levy Mwanawasa Isolation Centre.

She also said the country recorded 119 new Covid-19 cases out of 559 tests done in the last 24 hours bringing the cumulative number of cases to 6347.

“Of the new cases, 76 were identified through heath care facility screening, 23 contacts to known cases, 13 from routine community screening, 3 heath care workers and 4 BIDs all from Lusaka,” Ms Mulalelo said during the Covid-19 update yesterday.

Ms Mulalelo said with the new Covid-19 deaths, the cumulative total had reached 170.

She said a patient who died from the Levy Isolation Centre had comorbidities of diabetes and hypertension. MS Mulalelo said 363 Covid-19 patients were discharged yesterday bringing the total recoveries across the country to 4493.

And Ms Mulalelo said the delayed Covid-19 test results were as a result of a global challenge with inadequate reagents and supplies to meet the demand.

She said the supply chain constraints were owing to the disease burden and demand for testing globally.

“There is no production capacity in Zambia or the whole Africa for required diagnostic reagents, consumables as well as PPEs. There is limited availability of high laboratory equipment,” she said.

Ms Mulalelo however said Government was doing everything possible to manage the situation, saying there would be rational use of available resources.

She said individuals who get exposed to known Covid-19 cases should self-quarantine for 14 days and observe for symptoms.