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Covid-19 cases reach 36

The novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic local transmission has reached 25 as the country registered one case each in Blantyre and Lilongwe, respectively yesterday.

The latest infections bring the number of confirmed cases in the country to 36 in the past 25 days since the first case was detected on April 2 2020.

Briefing journalists yesterday at Ministry of Health headquarters in Lilongwe, Special Cabinet Committee on Covid-19 chairperson Jappie Mhango, who is also Minister of Health, said both cases are mild.

He urged people to continue observing preventive measures such as personal hygiene and social distancing.

Mhango also warned people to be careful as everyone is a suspect until they are tested.

Announced the cases: Mhango

He said: “I am happy to report that since the last reported death, none has occurred again due to Covid-19.However, in the past 24 hours, we have recorded two new cases. One case is a 47-year-old man from Chileka, Blantyre, who arrived in Malawi from Tanzania on 18th April and was on self-quarantine.

“Another one is a 45-year-old man from Area 2, Livimbo, Lilongwe. He has no history of travel. He developed flu-like symptoms and a family member called our rapid response team for tests and results came out positive.”

Mhango said a team is already in the field to trace contacts of the two new cases. The minister also said they will extend contact tracing to all workers at their business premises and other close contacts.

He said a team from Lilongwe District Health Office is in the field at Kaliyeka which is the pandemic’s hot-spot in the country with the most local transmissions.

“The cases are all clinically stable with mild symptoms. In the past 24 hours, Mzuzu Lab had 34 samples tested where one case came out positive, 31 negatives and two are pending results, Lilongwe had three samples, one positive and two negatives, Blantyre had 24 samples, one positive, 22 negatives and one pending result,” saidMhango.

So far, Lilongwe has registered 23 cases with two deaths while Blantyre has recorded nine cases with one death. Chikwawa, Zomba, Nkhotakota and Karonga have registered one case each, respectively.

Over 700 people have been traced and 180 tested. Cumulatively, the country has over 7 000 high-risk travellers who have entered the country either through border posts or using uncharted routes.

On March 12 2020, World Health Organisation declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic.

President Peter Mutharika on March 20 2020 declared a State of Disaster.

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