Government has imposed a travel ban on four countries namely, Bangladesh, Brazil, India and Pakistan following a rise in reported positive coronavirus cases and deaths due to a new strain of the pandemic.

Making the announcement on Monday evening during the daily COVID-19 update, Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda said the decision has been arrived at to guard against the threat of importation and spread of the new variant from the Indian subcontinent in the country.

“The taskforce also noted with concern the threat of importation of new variants of the virus from other regions and Countries of the world, notably from Bangladesh, Brazil, India, and Pakistan, where a new wave of the pandemic is currently spreading with severe morbidity and mortality impact.

“The taskforce further noted the particular heavy traffic of travelers to and from the Indian sub-continent and neighbouring Countries of Bangladesh and Pakistan; and evidence of a COVID-19 positive case that arrived in the country from India in the past week,” said Chiponda

He added that those undertaking essential travel to and from the banned countries, shall be required to undergo mandatory quarantine at their own cost.

“Those undertaking essential travel to and from these countries, shall be required to undergo mandatory institutional quarantine at designated hotel accommodation at their own cost on arrival into the country.

“The essential travelers must be in possession of a negative PCR-based COVID-19 test result or certificate for a test conducted no more than 72 hours before arrival in Malawi,” said Chiponda.

According to the Health Minister, the taskforce will periodically review the situation of the epidemic in South East Asia and advise accordingly.

Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 34, 021 cases including 1, 147 deaths. Case fatality rate is at 3.37%.

On COVID-19 vaccination, cumulatively 277, 442 doses have been administered in the country with 785 being administered in the past 24 hours.