From April 19, 2020, Malawi will go into a 21-day lock down as the Southern African country tried to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking in a televised address on April 14, 2020, Malawi President, Peter Mutharika said citizens would not be allowed to leave their homes during the lockdown except for medical reasons, including visits to pharmacies as well as visits to food supply stores, courts and banks.
He also added that, according to the Public Health (Corona Virus Prevention, Containment and Management) Rules, 2020, all shops and businesses would be closed, except those classified as essential services.
The lockdown is expected to end at midnight on 09 May 2020, but might be extended.
The Malawian city of Blantyre was put under a city-wide lock-down at the end of March 2020 with the normal business of the day stopped to stem the spread of the virus.
As of April 17, 2020, Malawi had 17 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2 deaths.
