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UNICEF Malawi COVID-19 Situation Report: 19 September 2021

Países
Malaui
Fuentes
UNICEF
Fecha de publicación

Situation in numbers as of 19 September 2021

  • 61,363 confirmed cases 50,507 recoveries
  • 60 cases hospitalized 2,261deaths
  • 401,808 tested samples 6,865 active cases
    Source: 2021/09/19, Daily info update, Republic of Malawi, Ministry of Health

Reporting Period: 11 August – 19 September 2021

Highlights

  • Malawi is experiencing a reduction in the number of cases and deaths with the positivity rate at 5 percent, the lowest since the beginning of the third wave.
  • With the current trends signaling an end of the third wave the Government of Malawi has eased travel restrictions into the country.
  • As of 19 September 2021, 453,499 people have been fully vaccinated.
  • A reduction in vaccine demand has been observed across the country with daily uptake averaging 2,500 compared to over 6,000 in the previous month. UNICEF is supporting MoH to micro plan using a focused outreach strategy with mobile teams deployed to ensure that all people have access to the lifesaving vaccines regardless of their geographical location.
  • During the reporting period, Malawi received 395,040 doses of Astra
    Zeneca vaccines through the COVAX facility. The vaccines were donated by the British (119,040 doses), French 115,200 (doses) and Swedish Governments (160,800 doses).
  • To decongest classrooms and provide additional shelter for quarantining learners in case of positive cases in schools, UNICEF has provided classroom size tents to 40 secondary schools. Close to 20,000 learners (12, 660 males and 7, 748 females) enrolled in these secondary schools will benefit from this support.

Situation Overview

Malawi is experiencing a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and admissions to Emergency Treatment Units (ETUs). Sporadic cases continue to be reported in populous cities of Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu with around 60 per cent of new cases coming from these cities. As of 19 September 2021, 401,808 COVID-19 tests had been conducted since the beginning of the pandemic. Of these, 61,363 turned out positive for COVID-19 with a positivity rate of 5 per cent down, from 17 per cent last month. A total of 52,005 cases (82.8 per cent) have so far recovered, while 6,865 cases are active, indicating a decrease of over 35 per cent from the previous month. The number of hospital admissions has also decreased from 398 last month to 60 cases with a daily average of about 10 cases (see the seven-day moving above). In view of this development the Government of Malawi has eased the travel restrictions into the country.

A cumulative total of 2,261 deaths have been registered with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 3.7 per cent which is above the Global CFR. The high CFR has been attributed to late reporting of suspected cases and limited capacity to assess cases requiring oxygen therapy.

Since COVID-19 vaccination started on 11 March 2021, as of 19 September 2021, 473,443 people have been fully vaccinated (234,189 with Johnson and Johnson; 239,254 with AstraZeneca). A reduction in vaccine demand has been observed across the country with daily uptake averaging 2,500 compared to over 6,000 in the previous month. The low demand could be attributed to the reduced fear by the public because of few reported COVID-19 cases and deaths.