Govt intensifies COVID-19 community surveillance

GOVERNMENT has intensified community surveillance for prompt identification of COVD-19 variants and reporting of cases, Minister Health Sylvia Masebo has said.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka, Ms Masebo said Government had increased COVID-19 testing to identify variants in the country.

The Minister said Government through the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) was working tirelessly to minimize COVID-19 infections.

She, however, said the country had run out of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Ms Masebo assured the nation that the country had sufficient stocks of Johnsons & Johnson as well as Sinopharm vaccines.

Ms. Masebo has also said Zambia had recorded 311 new cases of COVID-19 over a 24-hours period and three deaths.

Meanwhile, Ms Masebo said the country needed to take precautions to prevent an outbreak of cholera

Ms Masebo said there was increased risk of a possible cholera as a result of heavy rains, inadequate drainage systems and an increase in amounts of uncollected garbage.

She said in order to avoid cholera and other diarrheal diseases outbreaks in the country, awareness, clean drinking water, use of appropriate sanitation facilities, as well as waste management were necessary. He appealed to all stakeholders to sanitise communities, especially at trading places.