Government Bans All Social Gatherings to Curb Rising COVID-19 Cases
The government has announced that all issuance of permits by local authorities for any social gathering has been suspended in addition to measures announced by Secretary to Cabinet recently.
Speaking during the routine COVID-19 update today, Ministry of Local Government Permanent Secretary Matthew Ngulube said this has come into effect with immediate and that permits that have already been issued are nullified to be reviewed after 21 days.
Among the gatherings whose permits have been suspended are weddings, chilanga mulilos, matebetos, birthday parties, conferences, workshops among other gatherings. With regards to funerals, Mr. Ngulube said burial permits will only be issued subject to adherence to the stipulated COVID-19 prevention guidelines.
“Mourners must mask up, they must sanitize, observe physical distancing, avoid crowds and seek medical attention if found sick and only 50 mourners are allowed per gathering,” he said.
Mr. Ngulube further said bars, nightclubs, and casinos that have been allowed to operate from Sunday to Friday from 18 to 22 hours, must also comply with the guidelines provided and operate within the permitted hours.
“Non-compliance will lead to revocation of liquor licenses or any other licenses, closure and or prosecution of the offenders,” he said and instructed that all local authorities monitor adherence and report to the Ministry of Local government on Monday, June 28, 2021.
“Should the report indicate otherwise, such places will be deemed as super-spreaders of COVID-19 and may attract more drastic measures by the government,” he said, adding that funerals with immediate effect will only allow gatherings of 50 people only in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
In the last 24 hours, Zambia has recorded 60 new deaths with 2, 595 new confirmed cases. Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Technical Services, Dr. Kennedy Malama said Lusaka is currently considered as a supra epicenter of the pandemic as seen from the continued increase in cases being recorded on a daily basis, with 39 deaths and 559 new cases being recorded in the last 24 hours.
Dr. Malama has also reiterated the warning against people self-prescribing and self-administering drugs from homes such as Dexamethason which he says reduces immunity and makes one vulnerable to COVID 19 and other diseases.
He has also disclosed that the current wave has seen some patients presenting with atypical symptoms which are not the common or classical ones noted during the first and second waves.
“Some of the patients we are seeing now are presenting with atypical symptoms including sneezing, blocked nose, lower backache with weakness as well as mild on and off headache,” he said.
Dr. Malama has also disclosed that the ministry will tomorrow open Chilenje level one hospital as a COVID 19 treatment center, further adding that the country will in the next two days receive about 200 oxygen cylinders.
This article originally appeared on Lusaka Times