The remaining 39 passengers are in isolation
Passengers on a bus have been quarantined after a Malawian national died on the bus while in transit from South Africa, Malawi24 reported.
Mwanza border spokesperson Pasqually Zulu told the online publication that the bus arrived at the Mwanza border with 40 passengers, including the deceased, at 22:00 on Friday.
The bus was denied entry following reports that it was carrying a passenger who died on the way to Malawi and was suspected to have tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19).
Zulu said health workers would do tests to confirm if the man was infected.
He said as a precautionary measure, border authorities saw it vital to stop the bus from getting into the country until action was taken for the safety of the remaining passengers and Malawi at large, which has yet to record a confirmed coronavirus case.
Zulu said the body of the man had been sent to his home for burial.
The remaining 39 passengers are in isolation, the online publication reported.
Meanwhile, Malawi Voice reported that the Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) has agreed to reduce passenger capacity to two people per seat in a quest to protect citizens from the coronavirus.
Moam, together with road traffic officials, made the resolution on Thursday during a meeting aimed at finding ways of protecting passengers from the virus.
National chairperson Felix Mbonekera said from April 1 all minibuses would be carrying two passengers per seat.
-African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Desiree Erasmus
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