372 died while over 4,000 people suffered from stroke in 2021

About 5,000 people in Zambia suffer from strokes every year, according to the ministry of health.

And the ministry has disclosed that recent findings have revealed an increased risk of stroke among those who have suffered from COVID-19 and are aged under 50-years.

Ministry of health Director infectious diseases Professor Lloyd Mulenga has disclosed that a total of 4,242 cases and 372 deaths caused by stroke where recorded last year.

Professor Mulenga has attributed most of the stroke cases to high blood pressure and diabetes.

Professor Mulenga says stroke, chronic fatigue, chronic lung condition, hypertension and diabetes are among the conditions that are being presented at the post-COVID-19 clinic.

He has since encouraged members of the public especially those with blood pressure conditions to quickly seek medical attention whenever they feel unwell so as to avoid suffering a stroke.

Meanwhile Health Minister Sylvia Masebo has disclosed that current data shows that the risk of stroke is more than twice as high for COVID-19 patients compared to those without COVID-19.

And Presidential COVID Advisor Professor Roma Chilengi says mental health condition is also one of the major post COVID-19 conditions that has been noticed amongst the health workers, doctors, patients  and their relations.

Meanwhile over 2.2 million people have so far been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Zambia translating to 20 percent of the eligible population.

Speaking during the COVID-19 update, Health minister Sylvia Masebo says a further 68,710 people have received booster doses across the country.

And Ms Masebo says Zambia in the last 24 hours recorded 2 news admissions and 35 new cases out of 1,211 tests conducted, giving a 3 percent national positivity rate.

Meanwhile Acting director of public health Dr Patricia Bobo has disclosed that the country currently has over 5 million doses of various COVID-19 vaccines available in storage while 98,454 doses representing 0.01 percent have gone to waste from the over 8.6 million vaccines.