Malawi’s COVID-19 recovery rate passes the 50% mark

By Duncan Mlanjira

Monday’s situation report from co-chairperson of Presidential Taskforce Force on COVID-19, Dr. John Phuka, says the country’s data shows that the people that have recovered have surpassed the active cases and that the recovery rate has passed the 50% mark.

“This is encouraging as it gives hope in this fight against COVID-19 pandemic,” says Dr. Phuka in his report, while stressing that those that have recovered should continue to strictly adhere to all preventive measures to avoid getting re-infected with coronavirus.

“Currently there is no known scientific evidence to show immunity in recovered patients and in order to limit the human to human transmission of COVID-19, those that been confirmed positive and contacts of the confirmed cases should strictly follow isolation and quarantine rules.”

The situation report says as of Monday, August 10, Malawi has registered 16 new COVID-19 cases, 55 new recoveries and no new death.

All the new cases are locally transmitted infections: four each from Blantyre and Lilongwe, two from Chikwawa, one each from Chiradzulu, Dowa, Kasungu, Mchinji, Mzimba North and Mzimba South.

Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 4,674 cases including 146 deaths. Of these cases, 1,031 are imported infections and 3,643 are locally transmitted.

Cumulatively, 2,430 cases have now recovered bringing the total number of active cases to 2,098.

The average age of the cases is 36.7 years, the youngest case being aged 1 month, the oldest being 93 years old while 66.8% are male.

The country has so far conducted 34,877 COVID-19 tests in 45 COVID-19 testing sites of which 114 tests have been done 24 hours before Monday evening.

In order to limit the human to human transmission of COVID-19, Dr. Phuka reiterates that those that been confirmed COVID-19 positive and contacts of the confirmed cases should strictly follow isolation and quarantine rules.

“As we continue observing the World Mask Week, August 7-14, which has been set as aside by World Health Organization (WHO) in order to raise awareness and promote the use of masks by the public, I would like to encourage and remind everyone to wear a mask in all public places.

“This is also in line with the just recently gazetted — The Public Health Corona Virus and COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Management rules, 2020’ which has made use of mask in all public places mandatory.

“This is meant to break the chains of transmission and bringing the pandemic under control.

“Remember, a mask alone cannot protect you from COVID-19 — it must be combined with other measures, including maintaining at least one-metre distance from each other, washing your hands frequently and avoiding touching your face while wearing a mask in order to prevent the human to human transmission of COVID-19.”

Since the first case of Coronavirus-related death in April, Malawi has cumulatively recorded 146 deaths as the total figure of registered cases is now at 4,658.

Since August 1 alone, there had been 36 deaths — six on August 1 (from 108 new cases recorded); three on the 2nd (from 45 new cases); none on the 3rd (from 42); five on the 4th (from 88); eight on 5th (from 65); a further eight on the 6th (from 65); none on the 7th (from 84); six on the 8th (from 49); Sunday the 9th, there were three new deaths from 34 new and as of Monday the 10th there were none.