Malawi has today recorded 12 new Coronavirus deaths, the highest number of new deaths since the start of the pandemic.
The country has also registered a record high of 381 new COVID-19 cases, with the total number of cases surpassing 8000.
There has been a rapid increase in the number of new confirmed cases, admission and deaths due to COVID-19 in the past three weeks.
“Today, is another sad day for our country as we have registered 12 people that have died due to COVID-19. this is the highest number ever recorded in our country since the first COVID-19 cases was recorded on 2nd April 2020. Today, our data also indicates that we have reached a record high of 381 new confirmed cases within 24hours and the total number of cases has surpassed 8,000 mark, the highest ever recorded in the first wave was 192 on 11th July 2020.
“The admissions also are at the highest to as 80 people are in our treatment units and we have also observed an increase in the number of people requiring COVID19 testing because of having symptoms and or being contacts to the confirmed cases,” said Chairperson of the taskforce on Coronavirus John Phuka.
He said it is important that all people who are infected are identified by testing, isolated, and, depending on the severity of their disease, receive medical care.
He added that people confirmed to have COVID-19 but who do not have symptoms should be isolated to limit their contact with others.
“The choices that we make as individuals, families and communities will make the disease to spread further or to stop spreading. In as much as health care workers are doing a commendable job in this pandemic, we can ease their pressure of work and also save the limited resources if we all choose to strictly adhere to the preventive and containment measures.
“The best time to act is now before the system gets overwhelmed,” said Phuka.
He then urged people to continue observing physical distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette including proper wearing of facemask and ensuring adequate ventilation when having activities indoor.
Today, Malawi has also recorded seven new recoveries.
Out of the Coronavirus new cases recorded, 327 of the new cases are locally transmitted infections including 141 from Lilongwe, 132 from Blantyre, ten from Nkhotakota, seven from Dedza and six each from Mulanje and Mangochi.
Nine of new deaths are from Lilongwe (six males aged 44, 50, 54, 58, 59 and 70 years and two females aged 66 and 68 years) two from Blantyre both males aged 57 and 60 years, and an 87-year-old female from Mzimba South Districts.
Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 8,306 cases including 220 deaths. Of these cases, 1,676 are imported infections and 6,630 are locally transmitted.
A total of 5,809 cases have now recovered, 134 were lost to follow-up, and 76 are still being investigated to ascertain their outcome. This brings the total number of active cases to 2,067. Of the active cases, 80 cases are currently admitted.
A total of 94,601 tests, have been conducted in the country so far.
