Suspend sporting activities—minister
Minister of Health, Jappie Mhango has pleaded with local sport associations to completely suspend sporting activities as a preventative method to stop coronavirus outbreak.
Although the country has not registered coronavirus cases, Mhango said local sporting bodies can do no harm by suspending their activities.
“Every sector has been affected following the pandemic [coronavirus]. S,o we need not to take chances but be alert and do everything possible so that Covid-19 does not affect us. As it is, I am pleading with fellow sports’ officials to completely suspend sporting activities such as training to be safe f,” he said.
Mhango made the remarks after being elected Malawi Olympic Committee (Moc) president unopposed at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi on Saturday.
He said since most sporting activities involved contact thereby posing huge risk of infection if a case was to be registered in the country.
“Therefore we need to follow the steps which have been put in place to preserve our lives,” Mhango said.
President, Peter Mutharika, in his address to the nation on March 20, declared Malawi a state of national disaster as a control measure against coronavirus as neighbouring countries such as Zambia and Tanzania have registered such cases.
“All schools, colleges including technical colleges both public and private universities should be closed by Monday. These restrictions apply to all gatherings including weddings, funerals, church, congregation, rallies, government meeting etc. Government has banned travels for foreign nationals from countries highly affected by Coronavirus disease,” Mutharika said.
Following Mutharika’s stance, most sports associations suspended activities including the kick-off of the TNM Super League.
Some clubs suspended training whereas others did not.
