Covid-19: Five people die in Kasungu and Blantyre

Five people have lost their live due to Coronavirus in Blantyre and Kasungu as the number of confirmed cases also continue to rise in Malawi.

John Phuka, Co-chairperson of the Coronavirus Taskforce, said on Sunday four deaths have been recorded in Blantyre while one has been registered in Kasungu.

Phuka also announced that Malawi has registered 103 new COVID-19 cases and 40 new recoveries.

“Of the new cases, 81 are contacts of confirmed cases and 22 are imported. Of the locally transmitted infections, six are healthcare workers (three from Mzuzu, two from Neno and one Lilongwe), 24 from Blantyre, 20 from Lilongwe, and 12 from Mzuzu,” said Phuka.

He added that Nkhata Bay and Dowa have registered five new cases each, three each from Neno and Mangochi, two from Kasungu and one each from Chikwawa, Dedza and Mwanza.

Of the imported cases, 12 were identified through routine screening at Mwanza border and the other 10 were among 96 Malawians returning from South Africa by bus.

Malawi has a total of 2364 cases including 38 deaths. Of these cases, 808 are imported infections and 1556 are locally transmitted. Cumulatively, 557 cases have now recovered bringing the total number of active cases to 1769.

The country has so far conducted 20657 COVID-19 tests in 39 COVID-19 testing sites.