A man wearing a face mask walks on a street in Blantyre, Malawi, on Jan. 11, 2021. The Malawi government through a special task force on COVID-19 has initiated newly gazetted laws on COVID-19 pandemic management following a rapid spread of the virus right after the festive season in the country. (Photo by Joseph Mizere/Xinhua)
BLANTYRE, Malawi, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Malawi government through a special task force on COVID-19 has initiated newly gazetted laws on COVID-19 pandemic management following a rapid spread of the virus right after the festive season in the country.
During a recent press briefing on COVID-19 update, Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda expressed worry over the rising cases and deaths of COVID-19 which she said is putting pressure on health facilities in the country.
The minister emphasized that Malawians should not panic with the sudden rise of the cases because the government has enough testing equipment that can run up to three months.
Among many measures, the Malawi government has started enforcing the mandatory wearing of masks in public and a reduced passenger capacity in minibusses.
The development is a relief to many people in the Blantyre district where COVID-19 cases are rising fast. In an interview with Xinhua, Joseph Breya, 27, outlined some of the fears that people in his neighborhood have towards the pandemic.
"It's a relief that the government has decided to start enforcing preventive measures, this will awaken some people who have chosen to ignore preventive measures, this will make them proactive, hence reducing risks of spreading the virus further," he said.
Meanwhile, President Lazarus Chakwera has described the rising of COVID-19 cases and deaths as the price that Malawians are paying after relaxing in observing preventive measures.
According to Chakwera, during the festive season, many people in the country went back to their normal life which saw many ignoring wearing masks, keeping distance and washing hands.
The president has therefore encouraged Malawians to start taking further steps in trying to reverse the situation. He said, the government is trying to ensure that everyone is safe, but there is a need for each and every individual to take action. Enditem
