Malawi has recorded 1,265 new cases and the weekly positivity rate is at 36.2%.
According to the Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, the country has also recorded 27 new recovery and three new deaths.
Out of the new cases, 377 are from Lilongwe, 308 from Blantyre, 91 from Mzimba North, 61 from Mzimba South, 43 from Dowa, 40 from Chiradzulu, 37 from Mangochi, 33 each from Chitipa and Kasungu, 30 from Karonga, 27 from Mulanje and 19 each from Mchinji, Nkhotakota, Ntcheu and Zomba.
Two of the deaths are from Lilongwe and one from Mzimba South, and all were not vaccinated.
Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 69,735 cases including 2,322 deaths (Case Fatality Rate is at 3.33%). Of these cases, 2,800 are imported infections and 66,935 are locally transmitted.
A total of 59,557 cases have now recovered (recovery rate of 85.4%) and 232 were lost to follow-up. This brings the total number of active cases to 7,624.
In the past 24 hours, there were 24 new admissions and 15 new discharges in the treatment units. Currently, 78 active cases are currently hospitalized; 38 in Blantyre, 17 in Lilongwe, five in Zomba, four in Mzimba North, two each in Kasungu, Karonga, Thyolo, Phalombe and Mwanza, and one each in Mzimba South, Neno, Ntcheu and Nsanje districts. 18 of the new admissions are not vaccinated, and six are fully vaccinated.
On testing, in the past 24 hours, 3,037 COVID-19 tests were conducted. Of these, 2,090 tests were through SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Diagnostic test while the rest were through RT-PCR test. The positive cases out of the total number tested (past 24 hours) translates to a positivity rate of 41.65% and the weekly positivity rate (seven days moving average) is at 36.2%. Cumulatively, 474,004 tests have been conducted in the country so far.
On COVID-19 vaccination, a total of 1,730,888 vaccine doses have been administered in the country so far and 669,895 people are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Chiponda has urged Malawians to continue staying vigilant during the holidays to help slow the spread of the virus.
“With COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise in the country, the safest way to celebrate is at home with people you live with. Despite this strong recommendation to stay home and celebrate only with members of one’s own household,” she said.
