Browsing: COVID-19 in Zambia

Over the past few days, the East African corridor witnessed a border closure that had serious impacts to Tanzania, Zambia, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to information from The Citizen, the border saga has a new ground as Kenya allowed Tanzanian truck drivers to cross the Namanga entry point, prior clarifying their COVID-19 test results.

Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia make up over 2,000 cases of the coronavirus. The pandemic forced the Tunduma-Nakonde border vicinity to be monitored closely as the Nakonde district recorded 76 new cases on Saturday.

Kenyan border

However, government authorities in Tanzania said yesterday of the 300 trucks that were denied entry into Kenya until their drivers had undergone Covid-19 tests, had been allowed to proceed.

This is a consequent measure brought to curb the virus, as on Tuesday two truck drivers tested positive compelling Kenyan health authorities requiring truck drivers to undergo …

The coronavirus (COVID-19) fight is getting into a different dynamic as Tanzania anticipates unlocking its tourism potential, some of the East African member states decided to close their borders to curb the highly contagious virus.

Zambia closes its border with Tanzania

The transit landscape between Tanzania and Zambia just got stuck, as Tunduma-Nakonde border got closed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

The shutdown came to life on Monday, May 11, after border district confirmed 76 new cases on Saturday, which was the steepest increase to date. Hence, Zambia has around 267 confirmed cases and 7 people have died from the virus.

Zambian Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said the closing the border allows for cleaning, disinfection and virus testing to be conducted in Nakonde. But also retraining immigration staff at the border on how to deal with the entry of persons and goods, according to information from The Citizen.

However, according …

Sub-Saharan Africa governments funding needs may rise by almost $75 billion due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) downplaying their economies, according to information from Goldman Sachs Group.

This particular insight comes into the play as last month, African finance ministers called for a $100 billion stimulus package, including suspension of debt to help the youngest continent combat the coronavirus pandemic, which has already registered a $29 billion dent to the economy so far and still counting.

According to the global investment bank, economists in London, Dylan Smith and Andrew Matheny, the pandemic could have a serious toll on the continent’s fragile fiscal pillars.

“Possibly the most severe impact of the crisis will be on already stretched fiscal balances. Budget deficits would likely rise from an average of around 3.5 per cent to high single digits, even before any loosening to soften the economic effects of the corona-crisis,” said Smith and …