Covid-19 positive cases have risen from seven to 15 in seven days at Maula Prison, Nthanda Times has learnt.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently identified a new coronavirus variant XBB1.5 which has been detected in South Africa, China, and 25 other countries.

Malawi Prison Service Spokesperson Chimwemwe Shaba said the inmates who have tested positive are showing mild symptoms and have been put in isolation.

“For this and next week, we will continue to observe the situation, and, should the cases continue to rise, we shall consider mass testing so as to know how many have contracted the virus,” he said.

Recently, Presidential Taskforce on Coronavirus co-chairperson Wilfred Nkhoma said Malawi is monitoring and ready to contain any outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

In his words, Centre for Human Rights Education (CHRE), Advice and Assistance Executive Director Victor Mhango said that there is a need to organize a mass-testing exercise as the number of cases might be higher than detected.

Mhango also suggested containing the further spread of the virus by decongesting all prisons in the country which are overcrowded.

“A true picture of all cases at the prison will be seen if they conduct a mass-testing exercise because there might be other inmates who might not be showing symptoms and may be spreading the virus to other inmates unknowingly,” he said.