By ADRIAN MWANZA
ZAMBIA has recorded the lowest number of Covid-19 related deaths at 17 deaths in the last 24 hours.
The country has for the first time since June 2021 recorded fewer than 20 deaths after an upswing in cases which came with the third wave.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Kennedy Malama said the country had seen a drastic drop in deaths from 72 to just 17 in the last 24 hours while the past week saw the daily new cases drop to below 1, 000 new cases.
Southern Province had the highest number of deaths with four casualties followed by Eastern and Muchinga both on three while Lusaka had two.
Central, Luapula, Muchinga, North-Western and Western provinces had one casualty each. He said 3, 355 Covid-19 deaths had been recorded with 2, 521 classified as Covid-19 deaths and 834 as Covid-19 associated deaths.
“The cumulative number of vaccinations to date stands at 283, 481 dose 1 vaccinations 276, 582 AstraZeneca and 6, 899 Sinopharm and 130, 293 fully vaccinated i.e. 96,085 dose 2 AstraZeneca of those that received dose 1 and 27, 872 Johnson and Johnson and 6, 336 dose 2
Sinopharm of those that received dose 1,” Dr Malama said.
Dr Malama said the country continued to record an encouraging reduction in the test positivity, hospital admissions and deaths.
“In the last 24 hours we recorded 708 new confirmed Covid-19 cases out of 6, 700 tests giving an 11 positivity.
