By SANFROSSA MANYINDA
ABOUT 70 percent of Covid-19 patients admitted in various health facilities countrywide are on oxygen therapy.
Health Minister, Jonas Chanda, announced that out of 495 patients being managed in health facilities, 339 are on oxygen therapy while 35 are in a critical condition.
He was speaking during the Covid-19 update in Lusaka yesterday.
Dr Chanda said Government was engaging partners, including the United States government and the European Union to invest more in the provision of oxygen.
He reported that the demand for oxygen had increased as the second wave of the virus required high flow of oxygen to manage.
Dr Chanda encouraged Zambians who presented symptoms of Covid-19 to visit health facilities early.
“No country, including developing ones was fully prepared for the coronavirus, but I am happy to announce that our government is on top of the situation to ensuring that the issue of oxygen is well handled,” he said.
Dr Chanda expressed worry that super spreader events such as funerals, weddings and workshops had continued to take place across the country with people disregarding the health guidelines.
Zambia recorded 1, 476 new cases in the last 24 hours out of 11, 683 tests done, bringing the cumulative number to 47, 622 with a positivity rate of 12 percent.
The country also recorded 1, 723 recoveries bringing the cumulative number of recoveries recorded to 40, 362 while 12 died bringing the cumulative number of deaths to 672.
The number of cases being managed countrywide now stands at 6, 588.
