Covid 19 test results of samples taken from technicians at Salima Sugar Company are expected to arrive in the country later this week Secretary for Ministry of Health Charles Mwansambo has confirmed.

The company recently received 60 expatriates from India that come into the country annually to assist in operating advanced production machinery at the company’s main site.

The development prompted the Ministry of Health to send samples taken from the technicians to South Africa for further tests to determine whether or not they are carrying the variant that has since wreaked havoc in India.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, amongst the ex-pats, one of them, who also was diagnosed with Covid-19 died, but the company secretary Dr. Charles Thupi did not confirm if the death was due to Covid-19.

Last month, Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 under the Malawi government announced a ban on travel to and from four countries battling a deadly 3rd wave of Covid-19 to prevent the importation and further spread of the new virus variant.

The countries concerned included Bangladesh, Brazil, India, and Pakistan.

According to the International media reports, India has been reporting over 200,000 cases daily while confirming close to over 20 million cases.