In the past 24 hours, Malawi has registered 562 new COVID-19 cases, 18 new recoveries, and nine new deaths. Of the new cases, 556 are locally transmitted infections: 216 from Blantyre, 149 from Lilongwe, 57 from Neno, 25 from Mzimba South, 21 from Karonga, 13 from Mulanje, nine from Dowa, eight from Mchinji, seven each from Chikwawa, Kasungu, and Thyolo, six from Phalombe, five each from Chiradzulu, Dedza, and Mangochi, four from Mwanza, three each from Balaka and Nkhotakota, two each from Ntchisi and Salima and one each from Chitipa and Nkhata Bay districts while six are imported infections: three from Mangochi, two from Mzimba South, and one from Blantyre districts.
In yesterday’s report, it was erroneously indicated that Mulanje District reported 2 new cases.
This was a typing error; the correct information is that Mulanje reported 22 new cases.
Six of the new deaths are from Lilongwe, two from Blantyre, and one from Nkhotakota
districts. Our hearts go out to families that have lost loved ones due to COVID-19.
May you find peace, hope and love during these difficult times. May the departed souls rest in peace.
Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 11,785 cases including 300 deaths (Case Fatality Rate is at 2.55%). Of these cases, 1,851 are imported infections and 9,934 are locally transmitted.
Cumulatively, 5,992 cases have now recovered, 134 were lost to follow-up, and 76 are still being investigated to ascertain their outcome. This brings the total number of active cases to 5,283.
Of the active cases 167 are admitted: 71 in Blantyre at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, 50 in Lilongwe, seven in Mzimba North, five each in Karonga, and Zomba, four each in Mzimba South, Mangochi, and Mulanje, three each in Kasungu, and Dedza, two each in Dowa, Nkhotakota, Rumphi, and Chiradzulu, and one each in Mchinji, Balaka, and Thyolo districts.
The average age of the cases is 35 years, the youngest case being aged two weeks, the oldest being 98 years old and 67.3% are male. On testing, in the past 24 hours, 1,805 COVID-19 tests were conducted, 637 of the new tests were through SARS-COV-2 Antigen Rapid Diagnostic test while the rest were through RT-PCR bring a positivity rate of 31.1% and cumulatively 106,537 tests, have been conducted in the country so far.
The data today shows that we have recorded highest number of admissions at 167, the active cases has surpassed 5,000 mark and sadly the deaths has reached 300.
It is trying times for our country but all is not lost. We should not despair or lose hope as we can stop the spread of the disease if all of us act decisively and choose to adhere to the preventive
measures.
I have observed that there is fear, worry, stress and anxiety among the public with how the disease is spreading.
Let me point it out that these are expected responses to perceived or real threats, and at times when we are faced with uncertainty or the unknown.
As such, it is expected that people are experiencing fear in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Added to the fear of contracting the virus in a pandemic such as COVID-19 are the significant changes to our daily lives in support of efforts to contain and slow down the spread of the virus.
Therefore, it is important that we look after our mental health, as well as our physical health wellbeing. I would like urge everyone to calm down and concentrate on how collectively
we can stop the disease from spreading further. If we work together in unity and solidarity, we should be able to defeat this pandemic.
It is important at this point that we should be able to identify through testing those that have the disease, isolate them while receiving appropriate care depending on the severity of the disease.
The contacts of the confirmed cases should also be tested for COVID-19. If you feel stressed during this period, please seek psychosocial support by calling your nearest facility or by calling 54747 (Airtel) or 929 (TNM) or 0882 431 111. Coping with stress in a healthy way will make all of us stronger in all ways and it will be easier to defeat the pandemic.
We have noticed there is general late health seeking behaviour among us whereby patients are arriving in our treatment units late while in severe state that is resulting in poor disease outcomes.
The chances of one recovering from COVID-19 increases when the disease is identified as early as possible hence the need for prompt health seeking behaviour.
I would like to encourage the public to promptly inform the health authorities by calling toll-free number 54747 (Airtel) or 929 (TNM) whenever one is experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms such as fever, cough, flu, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell and tiredness. This will help us to identify the disease in early stages so that appropriate care can be given immediately.
Let me also encourage those that have been confirmed to COVID-19 positive to promptly seek care if they are experiencing shortness of breath.
Let me emphasize that to effectively reduce and stop the coronavirus from spreading, there is need for a collective effort to contain the pandemic by comprehensively following all the preventive and containment measures.
The following preventive measures should be our daily routine regardless of status: frequent handwashing with soap, proper wearing of mask, avoiding over- crowded places, practicing
cough and sneeze etiquette, staying home if you have flu like symptoms and decontaminating commonly touched surfaces.
Watch your distance! Wash your hands! Wear your mask! Seek for care early upon development of symptoms of COVID-19.
