Drug Fight Malawi has warned people in the country against smoking and alcohol abuse saying it increases people’s susceptibility to Covid-19.

Executive Director for Drug Fight Malawi Nelson Zakeyu has said this in Lilongwe during a news conference amid a surge in reported positive Covid-19 cases.

In an interview, Zakeyu said considering that tobacco smoking damages human respiratory organs, chances of one succumbing to Covid-19 are equally high since the virus attacks breathing mechanism of an individual.

“Covuid-19 is a respiratory diseases and smoking interferes with the respiratory system so that’s why we are saying that there is a relationship between smoking and Covid-19,” said Zakeyu.

He has therefore asked tobacco and alcohol addicts to abandon the behavior.

“It’s better they quit so that if it happens that they have contracted the virus, then the impact won`t worsen, we really need people to understand the link between smoking and Covid-19,” said Zakeyu.