Written by Kondwani Magombo
Director for Health and Social Services for Mangochi District Council, Dr. Henry Chibowa, has urged people in the district to observe Covid-19 preventive measures as the pandemic keeps spreading in the district.
The district’s daily update on Covid-19 posted by Chibowa on the district’s forum on Thursday indicated that the district had cumulatively recorded 80 cases of the pandemic with 57 active cases and 23 recoveries.
According to the pandemic’s distribution map posted on the update, Mangochi Boma and Traditional Authorities Chimwala, Mponda, Jalasi and Katuli are currently more affected than other areas in the district.
The Thursday update indicated that 54 of the cumulative cases in the district are imported while 24 cases are local transmission, prompting the DHSS to call on the people in the district to “keep the vigilance and stay home”.
Chibowa wrote on the district’s Covid-19 Response Team forum and copied to other fora: “With the local transmission rate now higher, it means Covid-19 is now close to all our offices, if not already there,”
He also stressed the need to observe hand washing at all entry points, proper use of masks, and social distancing.
Meanwhile, the district health office has conducted 178 Covid-19 tests with cumulative 429 follow-ups and 229 discharges while, according to the update, cases currently on follow up were 175 as of Thursday.
On Tuesday the district’s Chief Preventive Health Officer, Dr. Kondwani Mamba, said the fight against Covid-19 in the district was facing a number of challenges such as laxity among the people and hiding of new arrivals.
Mamba said another challenge was that most people suspected of Covid-19 and tested once were not coming back for another test to ascertain their status.
“This one-time test is affecting the accuracy of our statistics but we are now involving community structures to help in the matter,” said Mamba.
Mangochi is one of the districts with the highest population living in, or traveling to and from South Africa in the countr
