Malawi police seals uncharted routes threatening Covid-19 fight 

Government has said Malawi Police Services has sealed all uncharted routes that people could be using to cross borders uncharted, which remains a threat in the face of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi  has said this at a news conference in Lilongwe addressed by a  Special Cabinet Committee on Covid-19.

He was responding to a question from a journalist on reports that people are still crossing the Malawi-Zambia borders.

“Police have sealed all uncharted routes because these were undermining the fight against coronavirus,” said Dausi.

“No more border porosity,” he stressed.

Malawi, which has recorded the fourth case of  Covid-19, receives many illegal immigrants daily through uncharted routes.

Many of the illegal immigrants that use uncharted routes without undergoing any designated screening processes come from countries that have reported cases of Covid-19.

Immigration’s spokesperson Joseph Chauwa  said following the Covid-19 threat his department has been holding emergency meetings with officials from Ministry of Health and they have been taking important information to officers working in the borders on protective measures against killer  virus.

Malawi’s neighbours that have reported Covid-19 infenctions are Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

Regional Immigration Officer for the East, Vivian Kasambo, told journalists in Mangochi that his department had tightened checks in all the borders such as Katuli and Chiponde.

Kasambo also said his department was working hand in hand with the Health Sector to enforce the quarantine of Malawians entering the country from other countries affected by the Coronavirus.

“We are very vigilant to make sure that we don’t import this virus into the country and we are coordinating well with the Health Sector in a number of areas, including following up on quarantine and self-isolation cases,” explained Kasambo.

He appealed to people in Mangochi to show patriotism to the country by ensuring that issues of quarantine and self-isolation are adhered to.

“This is the time we should show patriotism to the country; let’s tell our relatives and loved ones who come from South Africa to follow procedures put in place by government to fight this virus,” explained Kasambo.

Mangochi is one of the districts where Malawians flock to and fro South Africa and there are hundreds of Malawians from Mangochi living in South Africa.

Meanwhile, five people are on surveillance in the district due to their travel history and, according to the district hospital, the five are cooperative.

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