Zambia has recorded 100 cases of the novel coronavirus within the past twenty-four hours a development which comes immediately after that country’s president, Edgar Lungu had reopened the economy.

Lungu cited the adverse economic and humanitarian effects of the coronavirus-induced lockdown as justification for reopening the economy.

As of May 10, 2020, 11:34 GMT, Zambia had recorded a total of 252 coronavirus cases including 7 deaths and 112 recoveries.

Developments in Zambia are undoubtedly going to affect the region’s efforts to curb the spread and transmission of the virus.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean and South African governments are under immense pressure from the citizenry and business as well as opposition parties to ease or totally remove the lockdowns, in the case of South Africa due to their socio-economic effects.

It has also been reported that the same pressure is on the United States’ government where it is reported that some states are mulling slowly reopening markets as the unemployment rate has reached the highest level in 70 years.

The World Health Organisation
(WHO) has often discouraged the lifting of lockdowns saying that the effects of such a move outweigh economic and humanitarian gains associated with it.- Zambian Observer