Low Covid-19 compliance levels worry Government

BY SIMON MUNTEMBA IT is worrying that Covid-19 compliance levels has drastically dropped following the easing of some restrictions on socieconomic activities, Govern- ment has said.Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for technical services Kennedy Malama has however warned that low levels of compliance may cause a surge in infections.Dr Malama said this in Lusaka yesterday at a press briefing when he updated the nation on the Covid-19 pandemic.He announced that in the last 24 hours, Zambia had recorded 99 new Covid-19 cases out of 747 tests conducted in nine districts representing a 13.3 percent positivity rate. Dr Malama also announced that two deaths had been recorded with two brought in dead (BID) in the last 24 hours.“Sadly we have lost two adult male patients in Levy Mwanawasa Isolation Centre and Kitwe Teaching Hospital. Both patients had underly- ing conditions,” he said. He said the cumulative number of deaths was now 324 classified as 109 deaths due to Covid-19 and 205 Covid-19-associated deaths.Dr Malama who said 10 deaths were being reviewed, pending classification, warned that there could be significantly rise of Covid-19 cases if people did not adhere to preventive measures. He explained that President Edgar Lungu was categorical when he opened some sectors of the economy, that it would be dependent on strict adherence to health guidelines.Dr Malama also said the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases now stands at 13, 819 out of the 133, 389 tests done since the pandemic broke out.