Malawi coronavirus patient used uncharted routes from South Africa

Chikwawa district health officials say the sole coronavirus patient in the district used uncharted routes to get to Malawi from South Africa.

Minister of Health Jappie Mhango, who chairs the Special Cabinet Task Committee on Covid-19,  announced of the three new cases , one is in Chikwawa and two in Blantyre.

District Health Officer Dr Stalin Dzinkanda said the unnamed patient is now in isolation whilst his family members in chief Ngabu’s area in the district are in quarantine as they await to be tested for the virus.

“He came three weeks ago from South Africa and used the uncharted routes,” said Dzinkanda.

He said the hospital is also tracing other people who came into contact with the patient soon after his arrival into the country.

The Chikwawa person is the eighth coronavirus patient in the country and one of the patients died on Tuesday.

Minister of Health Jappie Mhango  said at a news conference in Lilongwe on Tuesday that: “The person confirmed in Chikwawa is a 30-year-old gentleman who travelled from South Africa on March 16 2020.”

The minister, who is chairing the Special Cabinet Committee on Covid-19  appealed to Malawians: “Please let us continue to observe the prevention guidelines we have put in place: regular hand washing, social distancing and avoiding handshakes and observe self-quarantine rules as provided if you have recently returned from a hot spot country.”

Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi said police will intensify patrols in uncharted routes.

Covid-19 has rapidly spread from China to European countries and the United States of America, and global cases have exceeded 1.4 million. The number of deaths, however, is still rising.

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Ikbal osman
Ikbal osman
3 years ago

There was a lot of racist comments in the earlier article about mwenyes bringing the virus into Malawi. Here we are a Malawian being affected bringing the virus from South Africa. This virus is indiscriminate and it doesn’t choose any race.Rather than racially profiling the affected person let’s do what the rest of the world is doing join hands and work together to fight the disease and try to save lives instead of blaming mwenyes for it.

Girl lady
Girl lady
3 years ago

Akachila anjatidweee chitidwe oipa zedi

Ikbal osman
Ikbal osman
3 years ago
Reply to  Girl lady

Close all the borders

Francisco Madinga
Francisco Madinga
3 years ago
Reply to  Ikbal osman

Unchartered route is not a recognised entry/exit point!!!

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