STORY: Mpox cases in Zambia hit 7
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 16, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 18, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:13
LOCATION: Lusaka
CATEGORY: HEALTH

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the press briefing
2. various of press at the briefing site
3. SOUNDBITE (English): ELIJAH MUCHIMA, Zambian Minister of Health
4. various of the press briefing

STORYLINE:

Zambia has confirmed three new mpox cases, bringing the total number to seven, authorities said on Thursday.

Minister of Health Elijah Muchima said in a press briefing that the new cases were detected between Jan. 10 and 16, with two cases from the capital city of Lusaka, and one from the Copperbelt province.

SOUNDBITE (English): ELIJAH MUCHIMA, Zambian Minister of Health
"Lusaka District had a suspected case of mpox last week. And early on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, the test results for the 34-year-old female came out positive. This patient has since been transferred to UTH Infectious Diseases Ward where she is being managed, and she is in stable condition. The close contacts of this case are also on close monitoring by the health authorities. This therefore brings the total cumulative confirmed cases to 6, but as of today there is another case in Lusaka that has been confirmed, bringing the number to 7."

The minister added that the ministry has intensified investigations and contact tracing in the affected areas to control the spread of the disease, while also launching awareness campaigns in communities.

In October 2024, Zambia reported its first mpox case, which involved a Tanzanian national visiting the country.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lusaka.
(XHTV)