One Indian national dies as Covid-19 devastates Salima Sugar factory

An Indian national, who was in a group of 40 compatriots that arrived in the country to work at Salima Sugar Factory, has died from what is suspected to be a deadly Indian variant of Covid-19 case.

The Company’s Secretary Dr. Charles Thupi while confirming the death only said the deceased was pronounced dead upon arrival at Kamuzu Central Hospital on Monday.

Thupi refused to speak anything more.

Sixteen of the Indian nationals who arrived in the country in four groups two weeks ago, through Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe tested Covid-19 positive although they flashed negative Covid-19 certificates upon their arrival.

The lives of 4,500 workers at Salima Sugar Factory are under threat following the development, prompting Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda to order mass testing and mandatory two-week quarantine for all Indians working at the factory in the lakeshore district last Wednesday.

Reports also show that the factory has been temporarily closed in order to let all workers tested.

Chiponda and other officials from her ministry toured the factory Wednesday last week when it was established that some of the new arrivals at the factory had tested positive for the coronavirus which could be a virulent double mutant detected in the Asian country.

Chaponda indicated that they will send the samples to South Africa for further test to ensure what they are dealing with.

“We want conduct aggressive contact tracing so that people are protected from any new variant,” Chiponda said.