Zambia Parliament adjourns after legislator Rogers Mwewa died from Coronavirus

Zambia’s Parliament has been forced to adjourn after a legislator, Rogers Mwewa, recently died from Coronavirus, according to a news report by Daily Nation.

The legislator from the North of the country recently fell ill and had tested positive for COVID-19. He died and was buried on Tuesday, July 21.

The country’s Vice President, Inonge Wina, said the escalating cases of Covid-19 had necessitated adjournment of the House.

Inonge Wina bemoaned increasing cases of the virus despite the implementation of measures to combat its spread.

The Vice President and Speaker of the National Assembly, Patrick Matibini, will on Wednesday lead other MPs in a mass testing exercise at Parliament Buildings clinic in Lusaka.

Zambia’s health minister, Chitalu Chilufya has said that the virus had spread exponentially the last few days.

The pandemic has spread to 44 districts in the country, he told Parliament.

Zambia’s Clerk of the National Assembly, Cecilia Mbewe has announced in a statement that as of July 15, the 19 cases recorded included three MPs, 10 National Assembly staff, and six non-staff.

Zambia’s virus cases are commonly reported in urban areas, but fears are alive that the disease might spread into rural localities.

The cases have surged the past few weeks with 108 deaths recorded so far.

Due to the pandemic, the country’s economy has been left struggling with President Edgar Lungu moving to ask China for debt relief and cancellation.