The Ministry of Health and Population has asked the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to provide school blocks and hostels to be used as isolation centres during this period of corona virus outbreak.

A letter dated April 9, addressed to the Secretary for Education, Science and Technology, and signed by the Chief of Health Services in the Ministry, Dr. Charles Mwasambo, said there is need for more isolation centres if the country is to contain the pandemic.

Reads part of the letter: “As you may be aware, in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, there is need for isolation centers across the country for suspected cases or cases not requiring admission as a public health measure to contain the pandemic.

“It is against this background that I write to request you to inform heads of training institutions (primary, secondary and tertiary level) under your jurisdiction to make available school blocks, classrooms or hostels which will be used as mentioned above when the need arises.”

The letter further said the District Directors of Health and Social Services and the officials from the Ministry of Healthy will provide guidance on how the facilities will be operating.

Recently the country’s Vice President, Dr. Saulos Chilima, also expressed the need to have more testing centers.

In a press conference he held on April 8, Chilima suggested that unoccupied state residences be used as coronavirus treatment centres.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Malawi has reached nine with a single death recorded.