Zambia Implements Church Regulations Amid Cholera Outbreak

All Zambian churches are required to limit worship times to no more than two hours.

The high-ranking person in charge of religious matters, Ndiwa Mutelo, issued the decree, which also forbids the selling of perishable and ready-to-eat food on church property.

Handshakes and hugs are strongly discouraged among worshippers in order to further reduce the danger of illness transmission. Mr. Mutelo stressed in a formal declaration how crucial it is to keep worship centres hygienic.

It is now mandatory for churches to offer their members with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, specific hand washing stations, and safe drinking water.

With almost 7,800 cases reported since last October, Zambia is experiencing a serious cholera outbreak, which highlights the need of taking immediate action. The health ministry has reported more than 400 new cases and 18 fatalities in the last 24 hours alone.

The goal of this most recent intervention is to lessen the effects of the cholera epidemic while highlighting the joint accountability of religious institutions for preserving public health.