Zambia praises sex staff for 'coronavirus tracing'
Sex personnel in Zambia are assisting to trace people who have contracted coronavirus after a surge in latest infections in the border community of Nakonde, medical minister has said.
Chitalu Chilufya said 76 of 85 reported new cases in the northern village were either sex staff or lorry drivers.
"Sex workers have been very co-operative and they are giving people the leads we wish," Mr Chilufya said.
Zambia has confirmed 267 Covid-19 infections, with seven deaths.
Last week, President Edgar Lungu declared the reopening of restaurants, casinos and gyms after a month-very long shutdown to enforce public distancing measures.
What did Zambia's health minister say?
"The problem in Nakonde continues to be grave, and the president can be involved," Mr Chilufya explained on Sunday, adding that Mr Lungu had ordered the border to be "temporarily closed."
Nakonde streets usually are lined by lorries leaving Zambia or entering from neighbouring Tanzania, the BBC's Kennedy Gondwe on Lusaka reports.
Lorry drivers have emerged as a good high-risk group because they visit several towns on the way and are actually known to possess multiple sex companions, he added.
"They [sex workers] happen to be being very co-operative inside our investigations, and we don't prefer to stigmatise or discriminate against them. They happen to be being very useful connected tracing," Mr Chilufya explained.
"We had a circumstance where one of these made an appearance with symptoms and advised us in regards to a client who was a good lorry driver of overseas jurisdiction and actually gave us a contact amount. We called that number and we were informed the individual we called experienced Covid-19," the minister added.
Health authorities in East Africa have expressed concern that lorry drivers, listed as essential workers, could be spreading coronavirus.
Strict checks, including tests by Ugandan authorities, have caused extended tailbacks at its border with Kenya.
