A group of Zambian miners held by their Chinese employer for five months as a safety measure against coronavirus have been released, the Lusaka Times website reports.

Their release on Sunday followed the intervention of a local MP.

They had been held within the mine complex to prevent them from contracting the virus and infecting their Chinese supervisors.

Vice-President Saulos Chilima told parliament two weeks ago that the government was not aware of the workers' detention, the website reports.

The Chinese managers are reported to have left the mine when a delegation of government officials arrived to release the miners.

Zambia has to date confirmed more than 15,000 coronavirus cases and 333 deaths.