LUSAKA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Zambia has been witnessing a fresh wave of COVID-19 cases, with new cases recorded in recent weeks, health authorities said on Tuesday.

       Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo said the country has recorded new cases in the last two weeks, especially in Lusaka, the country's capital.

       "We have already indicated that COVID is still with us, except that people had responded well with the vaccination, and we went beyond 70 percent. But even with that, we still have COVID, and in the last two weeks, we have witnessed new cases, especially in Lusaka," she told reporters during a press briefing.

       She said a number of people, including health workers, have been affected by COVID-19 in recent weeks, adding that there have not been any deaths.

       The minister urged people not to drop their guard but to continue adhering to preventive measures.

       According to the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), more than 100 people have contracted the novel virus in the last weeks, with 10 patients currently in admission at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, according to local media.