The Blantyre District Health Office says has managed to trace thirteen people who tested COVID-19 positive but bolted Kamuzu stadium isolation center in Blantyre about two weeks ago.
Spokesperson for the Office, Chrissy Banda, says they are still tracing other people who bolted to avoid local transmission of the virus.
“Our health surveillance team has been following up the people who absconded from Kamuzu stadium, the first group of people who came from South Africa.
“Our main focus was the positive cases; in Blantyre we had thirteen. Fortunately, we have managed to trace all of them. Our health workers have managed to trace them and we have advised them accordingly,” she said.
Banda says it is unfortunate that some of these people are not following preventive measures that has led to cases of local transmission.
“We have two cases. One case has transmitted the virus to seven of his family members and the other one has also transmitted to two of her family members.
“Had it been that these people had followed the preventive measures, the family members could have been safe but because there was some negligence, they have transmitted the virus to them which is unfortunate,” she said.
Over 400 people from various districts fled Kamuzu stadium some two weeks ago, citing poor living conditions at the facility as one of reasons that prompted them to bolt. 46 of them were tested for the virus.
