Dowa District records no Covid-19 cases in 32 days

Dowa District Health Office has announced that 32 days have passed without registering a single confirmed Covid-19 case in the district, describing the development as good news.

Dowa district medical officer Jacqueline Kanjadza said since the district started registering confirmed Covid -19 cases in May this year, it has reported 95 active.

According to the district’s official medical report, 13 cases were from Mponela, seven were from Mtengowanthenga, Madisi has a single case, just like Kasese, while Dowa Boma had seven, with Mvera Army registering 16 and Dzaleka Camp had 51 cases.

“Dowa experienced three deaths, two females and a male, 91 recoveries with one lost contact who is believed to have run away back to South Africa after testing positive on his arrival at Dzaleka Camp in the district,” said Kanjadza.

She, however, said Dowa District Hospital, like many other district hospitals in Malawi,  no longer test Covid-19 due to lack of testing materials, so samples are taken to Lilongwe for testing.

Kanjadza told the District Public Health Emergency Committee (Phemc) Meeting that in July, the district recorded the highest number of confirmed cases due to refugees and asylum seekers coming from Rwanda and DRC.

“Although the numbers of confirmed cases are declining, Dowa is still at risk of further spread of the pandemic due to refugees and asylum seekers coming to Dzaleka Refugee Camp on a daily basis,” she said.

Kanjadza, therefore, urged all stakeholders to continue working vigilantly in the fight against the pandemic in the district.