The number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Malawi has jumped to 2,497 while the number of deaths has hit 40.
Co-chairperson of the Coronavirus Taskforce John Phuka on Tuesday announced 67 new cases, 48 new recoveries and one death. The victim is a 48-year-old man from Mchinji.
Of the new cases, 52 are contacts of confirmed cases and 15 are imported. Of the locally transmitted infections, four are healthcare workers (two from Mzimba South and one each from Mulanje and Nkhotakota), 16 from Blantyre, six from Lilongwe, four each from Kasungu and Mzuzu, three each from Mchinji and Mzimba South, two each from Dowa, Mwanza, and Neno, and one each from Chitipa, Mangochi, Mulanje, Ntcheu, Thyolo, and Zomba.
Out of the imported cases, Mangochi, Ntcheu and Zomba have registered three cases each, two each from Thyolo and Balaka and one each from Lilongwe and Machinga
In total, Malawi has recorded 2497 cases including 40 deaths. Of these cases, 826 are imported infections and 1671 are locally transmitted.
Cumulatively, 795 cases have now recovered bringing the total number of active cases to 1662. The country has so far conducted 21532 COVID-19 tests in 39 COVID-19 testing sites.
Meanwhile, Phuka has reminded Malawians that COVID-19 cases in Malawi are rising at a time the country is facing a shortage of test kits.
“[This means] that we could have had even more cases if our testing was normal and number dying from the disease is also increasing very fast,” he said.
He then urged people in the country to use common sense to protect themselves and their loved ones by following measures.
The measures include staying at home, wearing masks, deferring cerebration that bring people together like wedding ceremonies and observing social distancing.
