Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Ministry of Health has dismissed as false social media reports suggesting that the new and more vicious COVID-19 delta and Lambda variants have been detected in Zambia.
And Zambia recorded an estimated 37,799 new HIV infections in 2021 of which 11,000 involved those aged between 15 and 24,while 180,535 individuals were put on ARVs.
Giving an update on the COVID-19 situation in the country, acting Health Minister Ambrose Lifuma says currently, the Omicron variant and its sub variants persist as the main cause of COVID-19 in Zambia.
Mr. Lifuma has since advised members of the public to get information on COVID and other diseases from trusted sources only, stating that all information regarding the national situation of COVID-19 and related updates’ will be communicated to the public through normal and official platforms.
He has since disclosed that Zambia in the last 24-hours recorded 173 new cases of COVID-19 with one death out of 2,591 tests conducted giving a 7 percent national positivity rate.
Mr. Lifuma has also disclosed that the country’s vaccination rate now stands at 42 percent representing over 4 million fully vaccinated persons with over 1million children having been vaccinated so far across the country.
And Mr. Lifuma has expressed concern that the ministry has been receiving misleading information on the number of new infections in the country and the status of the HIV epidemic.
Meanwhile 12 additional suspected new cases of measles have been reported in Mushindano in the last 24 hours with a 92 cases have been investigated of which 31 been tested with 20 cases coming out positive.