BISHOPS CALL FOR CONTINUED ADHERENCE TO COVID-19 PREVENTIVE MEASURES AMID INCREASING POSITIVE CASES
Catholic Bishops have expressed concern over increasing cases of COVID-19 and have called on Catholic faithful and all people in the country to continue observing and adhering to COVID-19 preventive measures
In a statement released today, the 8th of January 2021, the ECM has urged the Clergy, the Religious and the Laity to strictly follow the Public Health Guidelines from the Ministry of Health and the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) COVID-19 Precautionary measures.
“We the Catholic Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi have noted with great concern the rising positive cases of coronavirus in the country. It is against this background that we wish to remind the Clergy, the Religious and the Laity that Public Health Guidelines from the Ministry of Health and the ECM COVID-19 Precautionary measures issued on 13th March 2020 continue to remain in force and must be strictly adhered to during all Church gatherings and funeral functions”. Reads part of the statement
This is due to the coming of the second wave of the Coronavirus which has seen the country recording high numbers of positive cases and the health sector has complained that isolation centers are running out of space. Due to this second wave, two Priests and two Nuns from St. Pius and Msipe parishes in Blantyre Archdiocese and Dedza diocese have tested positive to Coronavirus.
Catholic media houses in collaboration with the Pastoral Commission have been urged to continue broadcasting live Holy Masses and other relevant pastoral programs for the spiritual edification of the faithful as public gatherings have been limited to not more than 100 people with observance to social distancing and wearing of masks.
In the statement, the Bishops have also reinforced the caution by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 that people should treat everyone they meet as a suspect.
“We reiterate the caution issued yesterday by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 that ‘We should be careful and imagine that everyone else we meet is positive.” Continues the statement.
As on 7th January, 2021, Malawi recorded 274 new positive cases which has raised the total number of active cases to 1407 and total confirmed cases have reached 7611. 203 people have died due to coronavirus in the country.