Ebola checks await Flames and Guinea players

…Flames arrive today

In the continued Ebola crackdown, the Malawi government says national team players, who arrive home today together with their Guinea counterpart who will be in the country by Monday will all undergo checks before they play in the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2017 qualification race on Tuesday in Blantyre.

Before heading to Guinea on Friday, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) asked the Confederation of African Football (Caf) over the situation in Guinea, before the World Health Organisation (WHO) cleared the fears as a day before the match which the Flames drew with their counterparts in Conakry.

According to Head of Epidemiology in the Ministry of Health, Matthew Kagoli, government procured infra-red thermometers and body scanners which will be in use as the two teams arrive in the country.

“There is no cause for alarm. As a ministry, we are well-equipped to take care of the situation. We will be at the airports in Lilongwe and Blantyre to conduct checks on the arriving players. Anyone coming from a country with cases of Ebola undergoes screening and players from the two teams will be no exception,” he said.

The Ministry has since said that the Flames players will be under sustained check ups in a bid to make sure there are nor fears on the deadly virus.

The Flames return today through the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe before traveling to Blantyre where they will begin the preparations for the big match on Tuesday at Kamuzu Stadium in the commercial city.

On the other hand, Guinea players will arrive in Malawi on Monday through the Chileka Airport.

The Flames with the result remain third on two points, at par with bottom-placed Guinea.

Group L leaders Swaziland drew  1 all at home  with second-placed Zimbabwe.

The two play in Zimbabwe on Tuesday as well.

Group L Standings