Malawi has registered 41 new Coronavirus cases, taking the number of active cases to 168.
Chairperson of the presidential taskforce on Coronavirus John Phuka has announced the new cases today.
Three of the new cases are locally transmitted with two being from Blantyre Health District and one from Lilongwe health district.
The other 38 new cases are imported infections and have been identified among 302 residents who were tested when they were returning from South Africa.
Out of the imported cases, seven went to Mzimba South, six to Blantyre, four to Mangochi, three to Thyolo, two each to Lilongwe, Chiradzulu, Nkhata Bay and Zomba, and one each to Chikwawa, Karonga, Kasungu, Machinga, Mzimba North, Nkhotakota and Rumphi. Three are under investigation to establish their final destination.
Phuka has since expressed concern over the increase in the number of COVID-19 imported cases being identified through Mwanza Border especially from people that are coming from Republic of South Africa by bus.
He said there is a high positivity rate among bus travellers in the most recent two batches of returnees. He also noted that the risk of disease spread on the buses is high such that those who test negative at the border may be in incubation period and carrying the virus.
“Therefore, to reduce the chances of spreading the disease further in their communities, I would like to request those that have recently returned through Mwanza Border to strictly observe a 14-day quarantine; and contact the local health authorities for further screening and care. For the family, friends and communities as we are welcoming back our relatives from outside the country let us ensure that we are practicing all the preventive measures,” he said.
Phuka then reminded people in the country that the fight against COVID-19 is far from over as the pandemic has not ended yet and will likely be there with us for a long time.
“It is therefore time for everyone to embrace the preventive activities as the new norms of life. It is not time to lower guard in the COVID-19 fight as the disease is still here and this calls for enhanced preventive and containment measures as style of living,” he said.
Malawi has recorded a total of 6,202 cases including 187 deaths. Of these cases, 1,275 are imported infections and 4,927 are locally transmitted. Cumulatively, 5,664 cases have now recovered.
