…UPND Indunas want Litunga out.

THE novel coronavirus (COVID-19) statistics in Zambia have thus far maintained an upward trend because of many factors that require deep reflection as the country battles to contain the pandemic.

In making an analysis about the pandemic, all citizens ought to employ a sober approach with an absolute discerning mind to remain on track.

A tilted attitude will distort the picture and send a wrong signal across the country.

Firstly, information available shows that Covid-19 is highly infectious and transmitted from one person to the other through cough droplets in the air or on a surface such as a table, support rails on a staircase and on many other surfaces.

This is the more reason why health experts emphasise regular washing of hands, social distancing and masking up.

Among the preventive measures, social distancing remains a challenge because the nature of human existence is such that interaction cannot be avoided.

Back to statistics, Zambia has 577 active cases, with seven deaths while 336 have recovered, thus giving a cumulative of 920 cases since March 18 when only two cases were detected.

From the statistics, the clear inference is that the cases are constantly going up and that the disease is difficult to eliminate under the circumstances.

Arising from this, many countries including Zambia have decided to ease up some restrictions to allow the socio-economic order to return to normal – New Normal.

At global level, the picture is no different as the active cases stand at 2, 903, 450 with deaths accumulating to 352, 604 while 2, 445, 444 people have recovered.

The super power, United States of America is teetering with 1, 144, 733 active cases and 1, 725, 278 cumulative cases.

Since the outbreak, the US has lost 100, 572 citizens while 479, 973 have recovered; there are no signs of the pandemic loosening its dark grip.

United Kingdom has 227, 399 active cases, 37, 048 deaths, 780 recovered while cumulative cases stand at 265, 227. Recovery rate is extremely low!

The US and the UK boost of highly effective and efficient health systems, but the pandemic is still taking its toll and ravaging the two advanced economies.

China, where the pandemic was discovered in December last year, recorded 82, 993 cases out of whom 4, 634 died while 78, 280 recovered.

Right now, the Asian giant only has 79 patients out of a population of 1.4 billion and this low statistic has generally been attributed to strict adherence to preventive measures.

Although there has been debate and suspicion, strict adherence stands out to be more plausible than the negative aspersions cast on the most populous nation on earth.

Therefore, Zambians must truly embrace obedience in the fight against Covid-19 and move away from lip-service, accusations and counter-accusations.

It is particularly irritating to lace the debate on Covid-19 with political undertones that do not help in bringing down the number of infections.

Covid-19 must be confronted with seriousness and from all angles.

Thus medical experts, particularly health promotions officers at district level, must emphasise the imperative need for obedience.

Henry Ward Beecher, an American clergyman and social reformer, once said: “True obedience is true freedom.”

Therefore, all Zambians ought to be obedient for the country to attain true freedom from this menacing pandemic.

Obedience is the key!