Serious warning on COVID-19; Risk of second wave imminent if local transmissions keep recurring

By Duncan Mlanjira

COVID-19 situation report from presidential taskforce, observes that local transmission is still taking place as from the 13 new cases registered from the 532 tests done as of Sunday evening, all are locally transmitted infections.

And six of them have been reported from districts that had stayed some days without reporting new cases — three from Chiradzulu, two from Zomba and one from Machinga. The others are five are from Lilongwe and two from Blantyre.

There was no new COVID-19 related death while recoveries were at 10.

Since the first case in April, Malawi has registered 5,731 COVID-19 cases of which 1,146 are imported infections and 4,585 are locally transmitted.

The rate on local infections is high considering that the public is not strictly adhering to the preventive measures that were set by the Government in April.

And the figures of local transmission seem to have risen during the fresh presidential election campaigns when the preventive measure of social distancing was completely ignored.

Cumulatively, 4,040 cases have now recovered bringing the total number of active cases to 1,512, which pose the risk of a second wave if preventive and containment measures are not enhanced, as alluded to by presidential taskforce on COVID-19 co-chairpersons, Minister of Health & Population Khumbize Kandodo-Chiponda and Dr. John Phuka.

The two separately said it is everyone’s duty to practice the preventive and containment measures wholesomely and to treat everyone that they meet as a potential carrier of the virus as 90% of those having COVID-19 are asymptomatic.

Speaking in Mangochi when she received a donation of K36 million-worth personal protective equipment (PPEs) from Trade and Development Bank for Eastern and Southern Africa, Kandodo-Chiponda warned people against against complacency in observing the preventive measures.

She said Coronavirus is unpredictable because some countries have experienced second wave of attack after figures dropped just as is happening in Malawi.

“Our goal as the Ministry and as Government is to ensure that we don’t have new infections and to achieve that we need to keep our guard at all times,” she said.

According to the Minister, Mangochi and Mzimba are high risk areas since its large numbers of the population travel to South Africa and are currently returning.

She disclosed that close to 6,000 Malawian returnee are stuck at Beit Bridge and the government is sending buses every week to collect them.

She described the donation as timely to protect health care workers. The PPEs include faces masks, gum boots, surgical aprons and infrared thermometers — to be distributed to all health centres across the district.

On his part, Dr. Phuka said people’s daily decisions should be aimed at stopping the virus from further spreading and reminded of the preventive measures in order to suppress the virus.

These include:

• Regular and thoroughly hand washing with safe water and soap or using hand sanitizer;

• Proper wearing of face mask and dispose them safely;

• Practicing cough and sneeze etiquette;

• Frequent cleaning and disinfection of the touched surfaces and objects;

• Observing physical distance of at least 1 meter between yourself and others;

• Avoid going to crowded places;

• Staying at home and contact health personnel on 54747 or 929 if you have COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, flu, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell and tiredness.

He also reminded those that have been confirmed positive to strictly follow the isolation rules and those that have been in contact with confirmed cases to self-quarantine for 14 days.— Additional reporting by Kondwani Magombo, MANA