Currently, only three institutions are able to test for the coronavirus, namely College of Medicine and Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust in Blantyre and National Laboratory in Lilongwe, as the northern region is yet to have one also.

During a sensitisation meeting organised by Mzimba North District Health Office (DHO), authorities in some health centres in Mzimba North have asked the government to fast-track initiatives of making sure district hospitals have the capacity to test Covid-19.

In response, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, Joshua Malango, outlined that plans are underway to upgrade district hospitals’ laboratories so that they are able to test Covid-19. So far, Malawi has not officially registered any Covid-19 case. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has formed a special taskforce to monitor possible impacts of Covid-19 on the country’s economy.