‘We need to be alert’: Malawi fear second coronavirus  wave

Authorities on coronavirus (Covid-19) are warning that people should not be complecent on virus pandemic, saying coronavirus is still ravaging and killing many and that  communities should  guard against a possible Covid-19 second wave by sticking to basic preventive measures.

Chairperson of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 Dr. John Phuka  said this on Saturday during an interface with the media in Dowa on Covid-19.

He said people should continue to adhere to set preventive measures.

“If you go around you will see that people are not wearing mask even in funerals people are relaxing and if you go to church, it’s the same this pauses danger for the second wave attack,” he said.

Phuka says the trend in the southern African region where the virus is still ravaging poses a threat of a second wave of the pandemic in Malawi.

The taskforce has since challenged the media to scale-up dissemination of Covid-19 preventive measures.

The taskforce observes that people are already ignoring measures such as wearing of face masks and frequent hand washing and that some materials that were put in market places or shops have been removed.

According to the Covid 19 briefs , new cases are locally transmitted infections: two from Blantyre Health District and one from Salima Health District. Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 6,028 cases including 185 deaths.

“Of these cases, 1,177 are imported infections and 4,851 are locally transmitted. Cumulatively, 5,454 cases have now recovered, 102 were lost to follow-up, and 242 are still being investigated to ascertain their outcome. This brings the total number of active cases to 44.

“The average age of the cases is 36.7 years, the youngest case being aged 1 month, the oldest being 98 years old and 68.3% are male.,” he said.

About 74,010 tests have been conducted in the country so far.

Society of Medical Doctors president Victor Mithi said chances for  a new wave of the Covid 19 attack for Malawi  were high, especially in the face of continued relaxation by the public in following up precautionary measures, including use of face masks, washing hands with soap and restrictions on public gatherings.

Malawi fully reopened schools and colleges in October after a partial opening in September. The schools and colleges were closed in March as a precautionary measure against further spread of coronavirus.