Lilongwe DHO report on Golden Peacock Hotel guests parry Covid-19 fears
Lilongwe District Health Office (DHO) has finally released its investigative report on three Chinese nationals who were at the centre of rumours that they had symptoms coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Chinese nationals were booked at the Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe.
The rumour prompted guests and other organisations to check out of the hotel, bringing business to a standstill at the magnificent tourism facility in the process.
However, in its report, which has been signed by Dr. Liwewe, the DHO stresses that the rumour that the Chinese nationals had recently travelled from China and they were showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19 is false.
“These Chinese nationals were found at the hotel. Our team managed to get access and there was compliance [from the hotel management]. Upon asking questions and checking in the passports, it was found that in one room, there was a couple and one of them had travelled from China to Malawi and arrived on 2nd October, 2019, through Kamuzu International Airport and the other travelled on 24th October, 2019, three months before the outbreak of COVID-19,” says Liwewe in the report.
He adds that the third Chinese national travelled from China this year and arrived on 17th February, 2020. His incubation period was over by 3rd March, 2020.
“Upon temperatures being taken, it was found that their temperatures were as follows: Mr Liu was 36.4 degrees celcius, Mrs Liu was 35.6 degrees celcius and Mr Zou was 36.1 degrees celcius. All of them had no signs of cough, sore throat, or any sign of illness,” says Liwewe.
But speaking when he addressed journalists in Lilongwe on Friday, the Chinese Ambassador to Malawi, Liu Hongyang, said Malawians stressed the need for Malawians to stay vigilant and continue using protective measures in order to remain free of COVID-19.
Hongyang said Malawi, being one of the countries with poor health systems in Africa and without the capacity to detect some communicable diseases such as COVID-19, needs to exercise precaution to prevent the spread of the virus into the country.
“All Malawians need to do is to remember to wear face masks and maintain a social distance of on metre apart. Do not hug and also avoid handshakes,” he said.
The ambassador also announced that his country will donate various medical equipment and test kits to enable the Malawi Government to handle COVID-19 cases should the virus find its way into the country.
“Apart from other items, we have also donated some medical supplies, which include 1,000 face masks, 500 shoes and 500 clothes to help the Malawi Government contain further spread of the virus,” said Hongyang.
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14 Chinese came to Malawi, 10 were deported 4 Nyirenda took an injunction.
Wina wake wadya money just to protect business, wa Corona aliko ku Hotel ko,musatiphe
its ginna be malawi only on the map worldwide, busying themselves going to coirt to sustain the chinese people instead of taking measures in protectin self and others from this pandemic. manyazi zinazi tilibe????? Pompous people
It appears we are working very hard to register a case of covid19, while forgetting the many deaths from HIV related infections, such as TB etc. The many maternal and newborns deaths, malaria. Covid19 has gained prominence because its struck azungu first, otherwise its fatality rate doesn’t warrant this noise. Zikomo kumpando
While Malaria and HIV are serious diseases, neither spread as fast or as easily as COVID. This is quickly spreading, silently. And not only are there terrible outcomes for some families, it is crippling the world economy. Malawi should be testing faster and more, and taking this very, very seriously. Lives depend on it.