By Draxon Maloya
16 of the returnees from South Africa who esscaoed from Kamuzu stadium in Blantyre before receiving their coronavirus test results have been traced.
Blantyre District Health Officer (DHO) spokesperson, Chrissy Banda said 11 out if the 16 tested positive for Covid-19 and they are all within Blantyre.
She further recalled that they have all been put on self-quarantine to ensure they are following all the necessary precautionary measures.
“Follow ups are being done on a regular basis by the health experts who include doctors and nurses. Communities are also helping us so with that combination of such support is making it easy for our staff,” Banda said
Banda further disclosed that they have also traced contacts of the 16, adding one of them had already infected seven of his family members who have since been put in self-quarantine as well.
Last month government embarked on repatriation of some Malawians who were in South Africa and Zimbabwe In the wake of the pandemic but the process was halted after the Mozambican government stopped the passing through of people suspected to be Covid-19 patients in their territory.
Meanwhile, Frontline workers at Kameza isolation centre in Chileka, Blantyre have threatened to let loose Covid-19 patients should the DHO fail to settle their allowance arrears.
An epidemiology expert, Titus Divala warned the country that the country is sitting on a ticking bomb following the escape of 441 returnees from the stadium, while also predicting that the development could lead to somewhere around 164,000 cases within a month.