As the election campaign period kicks off, there are heightened fears that the spread of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) will be further worsened.
Political parties kick off their campaigns this week, with the Patriotic Front starting first and soon to be followed by their opposition counterparts. The campaign flag-off was held at the Mulungushi Conference Centre, citing that the ruling party was avoiding large crowds to avoid becoming a super spreader event. But this was not the case, as the event attracted many supporters of the ruling party to the venue.
But as campaign trials begin across the country, the hope is that guidelines and restrictions are upheld to the highest standard.
The Ministry of Health has said there is still community spread of COVID-19. This comes after the country has recorded 3% positivity, the first time since April. The active cases in the country have also more than doubled from 400 at the beginning of May to around 900 in the last week of the month.
The Ministry of Health also indicated that 138,799 people were vaccinated cumulatively with the AstraZeneca and Sinopharm jabs, but data consolidation is still underway for the AstraZeneca Vaccines.
The Ministry also said that they have paused all Sinopharm vaccines, as all residents who received the vaccine have been fully vaccinated. AstraZeneca jabs are on pause as the Ministry is still reconciling its data.
The call continues to be for strict adherence to COVID 19 regulations and guidelines, especially as the excitement of the campaign period sweeps across the nation. The threat of a third wave still looms, and if health surveillance relaxes, we may see another spike in numbers. #TrackCovidZM #OpenParlyZED
2 June 2021, 09:19
2 June 2021, 09:35