By Duncan Mlanjira
In Saturday’s situation report from presidential taskforce on COVID-19, co-chairperson Dr. John Phuka says he has observed that some people are relaxing in practising preventive measures due to low numbers of confirmed new cases and deaths being reported on daily basis.
As of Saturday evening, Malawi registered no new COVID-19 related deaths, nine new cases and four new recoveries.
The new cases are locally transmitted infections of which four are from Blantyre, two from Mzimba North, one each from Mulanje, Rumphi and Lilongwe.
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Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 5,678 cases including 177 deaths and of these cases, 4,537 are locally transmitted and 1,141 imported infections.
Cumulatively, 3,724 cases have now recovered bringing the total number of active cases to 1,777.
With the total number of active cases at 1,777 still circulating, Dr. Phuka thus calls on the public that this is not the time to relax but continue with the collaborative effort to effectively suppress the virus from further spreading.
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“This is also more important as schools and airport have opened, so we need to comprehensively follow all the preventive and containment measures of COVID-19.
“Let us not lose the gains that we have made so far. We should continue :
* To frequently and thoroughly wash our hands with soap;
* Wearing our masks properly;
* Frequently clean and disinfect of the touched surfaces and objects;
* Observe physical distance of at least 1 meter between yourself;
* Practice cough etiquette and others;
* Avoid going to crowded places.
“This will help to limit the human to human transmission of COVID-19 in our country,” Dr. Phuka said.
In the past 24 hours of Saturday evening, 293 COVID-19 tests were conducted bringing a cumulative figure of 48,113 tests.
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