Chairperson of presidential task force on COVID-19 Dr Charles Phuka has urged the public to  observe coronavirus preventive measures in crowded areas.

Phuka has urged the people wear masks when going into crowded places to avoid contracting the virus as local transmissions appear to be on the rise.

On Monday, Malawi recorded 72 new COVID-19 cases, no new recoveries and one death, that of a 64-year-old woman who died at Balaka District Hospital.

Of the new cases, 64 are contacts of confirmed cases, four are imported and four are under investigation.

“Of the locally transmitted infections, 44 are from Blantyre, 17 from Lilongwe and one each from Chitipa, Dedza and Nkhotakota. The three cases under investigation were identified after presenting with symptoms at health facilities. Three of the imported cases were identified at Mwanza border as they were returning from South Africa while one was identified among the residents that were returning from Saudi Arabia,” said Dr Phuka.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Health announced that it had recorded 110 new cases of which 103 were locally transmitted. And so in two days alone, the number of locally transmitted infections has jumped to 179.

Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 1,224 cases including 14 deaths. Of these, 636 are imported and 551 are locally transmitted infections while 37 are said to be still under investigation, 260 have recovered and 950 are active.

He has since urged Malawians to protect themselves.