KEEPING COVID IN CHECK

KEEPING COVID IN CHECK DESPITE positive gains being recorded in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the nation needs to stay focused and guard against complacency to en- sure that there is no resurgence.The last couple of weeks has seen the country recording a decline in not only Covid-19 deaths or related mortalities, but even the cases have also shrunk. Worldwide, the Covid pandemic has claimed more than 4, 416, ,285 lives and more than 200 mil- lion infected.Back home 204, 337 have been infected with the Covid-19 while 198, 371 have recovered and 3, 573 succumbed.These are worrisome statistics and should make every citizen sit up and reflect on how they are han- dling the pandemic.The “can’t breathe” syndrome associated with Covid-19 is now a reality that most families even here in Zambia have experienced. It is an experi- ence most families have encountered of watch- ing their family member struggle to breathe as the Covid restricts all respiratory organs.While we welcome the announcement of reduced cases of Covid, it is important that the citizens pay attention to the caution from the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Dr Ken- nedy Malama.Dr Malama has maintained that the country should continue to be vigilant and wary of the Covid-19 de- spite the decline in number of cases.In any thing, the nation is well aware that the delta variant is here and this is more virulent than the vari- ants that the nation has so experienced and dealt with.The emphasis from the Ministry of Health is for the country to be very guarded and not to relent in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.It is not inconceivable that after weeks of political campaigns, the country could witness a spike in cas- es because people had let down their guard. Most politicians threw caution to the winds and engaged in public rallies despite the ban from the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the result of this could be a spike in cases in weeks and days to come.However, yesterday Dr Malama noted that the country’s Covid-19 mortality rate has continued to make a steady drop in the recent days after record- ing just four deaths countrywide in the last 24 hours.Dr Malama said that the mortality rate continued to drop and the casualties were from Copperbelt, Eastern, Muchinga and Southern provinces which all had a death each. He said the cumulative number of Covid-19 relat- ed deaths recorded to date now stood at 3, 573 and were classified as 2, 682 Covid-19 deaths and 891 Covid-19 associated deaths.He said based on the ministry’s cumulative sta- tistics the fatality rate was at 1.75 percent coun- trywide and considering the global and regional Covid-19 situation, the country was continuing to make progress. Dr Malama was confident that the figures would continue to drop. However, this will only be possi- ble if everyone continues to observe the five pre- ventive measures; social distancing, washing hands regularly, sanitising, no shaking hands and above all, masking up in public. Even as the nation celebrates the new govern- ment of President-elect Hakainde Hichilema, it should not lose sight of the dangers that Covid-19 poses.Sadly, some sections of society still think that Covid is a myth. This could not be further from the truth, and the sooner such people are dissuaded of such notions the better and safer this nation will be.