Malawi reports rise in Covid-19: 3 new cases

The number of new  coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Malawi  ticked up again as  Minister of Heatth Jappie Mhango on Monday confirmed three new virus pandemic cases.

Health minister Mhango: Malawi has today registered three new Covid-19 cases.-Photo by Lisa Kadango, Mana

Confirming the development, minister Mhango, who chairs a Special Cabinet Committee on Covid-19, said  among the new cases include a 22 year-old lady who arrived from Dubai on 17 March 2020 and another one in the same compound.

“I am happy to report that since the  last reported death none has occurred again due to Covid- 19. However, today we have recorded 3 new cases of Covid-19,” said the minister.

Mhango further said the three new cases have been confirmed by College of Medicine Laboratory in Blantyre.

He said all the cases including the ones that were registered earlier are clinically stable with mild symptoms while some have no symptoms.

“We are still collecting more details for the third case,” he said.

This brings the total number of Covid-19 infection in Malawi to 16.

He said the 16 confirmed cases are distributed as follows:

  • 6 (including 1 death) in Lilongwe
  • 8 (including 1 death) in Blantyre
  • 1 case in Chikwawa
  • 1 case in Nkhotakota

Health officials have also traced 272 contacts of people who have tested positive to Covid-q9 and tested 75 of them.

Meanwhile, Mhango who did not rule out a nationwide lockdown, said government will announce additional tough measures to avoid the spread of Covid-19.

Nyasa Times understands government was considering a far tougher strategy to deal with the coronavirus, starting this week.

Health and Rights Education Programme executive director Maziko Matemba observed that there is  a weak Health Act of 1984  on enforcement as people are carelessly infecting others without observing the self-quarantine of 14 days.

“Some people on quarantine are found moving around as the current fine is just K50. We demand the Executive and Parliament to quickly review and adopt Coronavirus Act as what Kenya has done some weeks ago,” said Matemba.

Mhango said the containment measures will be announced on Tuesday.

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ignatius
3 years ago

komatu mmidzimu like at Thyolo boma here someone was sent back home by Thyolo Hospital but this guy had just arrived from S.Africa and has all signs of Covid- 19 akuti to observe self quarantine.His child fell sick and mistakenly doctors admitted the child in a pids ward, it was after sometime when they realized that the child belonged to the quarantined guy.Zikuyenda pamenepa, Hon. Ben Phiri u must know this Magombo village and I believe you know the story as the story is all over Thyolo Boma

Mtete
Mtete
3 years ago

Shaaah! Looks like everyone coming in from Asia, Europe or wherever has symptoms. Very worrying indeed.
By the way why is MEC containing with registration despite Japie Mhango recommending suspension? Are they doing all this in good faith or is it some form of rigging, judging from stories we are hearing? I wonder.

mtete
mtete
3 years ago

Imeneyi ikumane muthupi pamodzi ndi HIV, bomba lake nde la nyukuliyatu

N one
3 years ago

This covid is too slow. All this time we are at 16! When are we getting to the peak?

Ack Tambala
Ack Tambala
3 years ago
Reply to  N one

Without accurate ‘ Mass Testing’ the world governments can only guestimate the true extend of the Covid19 pamdemic. To slow the spread of the virus we need to practice social distancing/self isolation ( whenever possible).
It can take weeks before an infected person show symptoms of the virus, in some cases the infected person shows no signs of the infection at all, in the mean time this unaware Covid19 positive victim is spreading the virus within the community. Once released into the community the virus spreads rapidly.

Banda
Banda
3 years ago

We need LOCKDOWN please.

Wake up
Wake up
3 years ago
Reply to  Banda

I’m assuming your living in the city and don’t give a damn of those living in rural areas. Who have no running water, refrigerators, electricity, nor money to store up food for more than a couple days. But congratulations to you.

Lowinzie Sibande
Lowinzie Sibande
3 years ago

Wishing those that are sick, QUICK RECOVERY. I believe we will sail through!!!!!!!

Lowinzie Sibande
Lowinzie Sibande
3 years ago

Hon. Minister, implement a nation wide lockdown, procrastination will lead to heavy human loss. You can start with a shorter two week lockdown, then extend or reduce it depending on the growth in number of cases. Let’s not repeat USA & Trump’s mistake. It will be too much to handle amidst our health limitations. If it is lack of supporting laws, let H.E. call parliament to enact them. LET PEOPLE STAY HOME & SAVE LIVES!!!!!!

Palazala
Palazala
3 years ago

Iyayi phuma bwanji. Apange lockdown Lilongwe ndi Blantyre… not the whole Malawi

Mec
Mec
3 years ago

What are you waiting for?The Lawyers from S.A. have been denied to fly in now you can lockdown.

Kaphiza
Kaphiza
3 years ago

The best tough measures you can do is by enforcing mandatory testing. You can’t use billions by sourcing detergents and plastic buckets, yet there is no isolation center or quarantine centres for the infected and suspected. Coming up with useless press conferences not a solution

Agenda Setting Theory
Agenda Setting Theory
3 years ago

It seems there is so much we don’t understand about this virus.. We often hear that a person should quarantine him/herself for 14 days when they have arrived in a country. iit has been almost a month since this person arrived in the country on 17 March

Banda
Banda
3 years ago

It takes long for symptoms to show in some people. In fact there is evidence that some people have the virus and then appear to be OK. Only to show symptoms later.

msewuwaboma
msewuwaboma
3 years ago

Your first sentence is so true. Even in much more developed countries, your words hold true. However, there are two things the Malawi Govt can do: Increase testing, and trace all contacts of positive people, and test them. Malawi can work with other SADC countries to start producing testing kits and their reagents. The testing being carried out now is woefully inadequate. What we will start seeing is an influx of patients in hospitals clearly presenting with severe COVID 19 symptoms. It will be the HIV story in the 1990s repeated all over again. It’s been more than two decades… Read more »

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