President Peter Mutharika on Friday declared a state of disaster over the coronavirus pandemic and ordered the closure of schools and a suspension of public gatherings.
In a State of the Nation Address, Mutharika said the coronavirus pandemic has had negative effect on the Malawian economy and way of life.
He announced that to ensure that coronavirus does not find its way into Malawi, his government has decided that all schools should close on March 23 and that gatherings such as weddings, funerals and churches are banned until further notice.
“As a country, we are doing everything possible to ensure that the coronavirus does not come into Malawi,” he said.
Malawi is yet to record any cases of coronavirus.
Mutharika also revealed that foreigners from coronavirus-hit countries would be barred from entering Malawi, while nationals and residents returning from affected countries would be subjected to self- or institutional quarantine.
The Malawi government has also temporary suspended the issuance of visas to citizens of countries highly affected by the disease, he said.
Malawi joins other African countries such as Mozambique and South Africa that have taken similar measures in an attempt to block the spread of coronavirus, the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.
FT/jn/APA