New residence hostels at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Road campus have been turned into an isolation centre for incoming truck drivers on the 14-day quarantine period.
Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya invoked the Public Health Act Chapter 295 of the Laws of Zambia and Statutory Instrument No. 22 of 2020 to declare and designate the new residence hostels as a public quarantine facility.
So far, 120 truck drivers have since been quarantined in October and Kalingalinga hostels for the mandatory quarantine for all essential workers coming from high Covid-19 risk areas, following their arrival in the country.
The minister said Government has put in place measures that restrict the movement of people in quarantine to ensure that the University community and the surrounding areas are safe.
Dr. Chilufya added that the University community should not panic as only a portion of the University by statutory provision has been declared a hospital facility for quarantine purposes.
The minister confirmed this during the Covid-19 update at the Ministry of Health headquarters.
Meanwhile, UNZA Acting Head of Communication and Marketing Dr. Brenda Bukowa said that only essential workers are allowed to report for work and encouraged those that can work from home to do so.
The University of Zambia Management would like to inform the University community as well as the general public that the designated quarantine area has become a restricted space open only to officials designated to work in the area.
Dr. Bukowa said.
Dr. Bukowa said that the university continues to be a public quarantine facility for people from high risk areas until such a time that the Ministry of Health declares otherwise.