There is no Ebola outbreak in Zambia – Chilufya

Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya has dismissed online reports suggesting that there is an outbreak of Ebola in Zambia.

Dr .Chilufya clarified at a media briefing that the said suspected case of Ebola at Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital being reported about, was a case of septicemia, a condition of bacteria in the blood.

He says the patient, aged 41 is a male resident of Serenje District who came to Lusaka for a church camp meeting on the 27th of August and that he was already of ill health when he traveled.

Dr. Chilufya says country is therefore safe and surveillance has been heightened as 7 member Rapid Response Teams per District in North-Western Province are being trained in Solwezi.

He notes that this is to be followed by training on the Copperbelt and that prior to this other district teams have been trained in Northern and Luapula provinces considering their proximity to the DRC.

And Dr. Chilufya says cross boarder activities between Zambia and Congo will continue despite the Ebola outbreak in that Country.