The chairman of the Malawian presidential task force on Covid-19, John Phuka, says a decision on reopening schools will be made next week. Photo:Facebook/Malawi Government The chairman of the Malawian presidential task force on Covid-19, John Phuka, says a decision on reopening schools will be made next week. Photo:Facebook/Malawi Government
RUSTENBURG- Malawi will decide next week on the reopening of schools, local media reported on Friday.
The chairman of the presidential task force on Covid-19, John Phuka, said the spike in coronavirus cases called for preventive and containment measures even though there have been calls for schools to reopen, Malawi24 reported.
He said a review would be undertaken next week to determine whether schools could open or not.
In May, a task team said all decisions on returning to school would be based on proven science and public health expertise with the best interests of the learners and teachers in mind.
Former president Peter Mutharika closed schools in March as part of the country's measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Malawi recorded its first case of the coronavirus on April 2 and has so far recorded 1,402 Covid-19 infections, with 16 deaths and 317 recoveries.
Phuka said cases were now rising fast, with 802 recorded since June 18 compared with 600 in the first 77 days from April 2 to June 18.
Independent newspaper The Nation reported that epidemiologist Dr Titus Divala on Tuesday asked the government to urgently institute measures to halt the further spread of the pandemic as figures were soaring.
"There is a need to formulate a Covid-19 bill containing the key evidence-based approaches, finances, epidemic management structures up to community level, relationship to government departments, among others, and seek parliamentary mandate for the management of the pandemic," he told the newspaper.
Malawi Health Equity Network executive director George Jobe also asked the government to reinforce the Covid-19 guidelines set up by the Ministry of Health.
According to the daily all 28 districts in Malawi now have confirmed Covid-19 cases after Rumphi registered its first two cases this week.