More than 100 Malawi job-seekers were injured in a stampede during walk-in interviews to recruit health workers to combat the spread of coronavirus, the health ministry said on Tuesday. The ministry made a public call on radio and in newspapers for interviews with the intention to hire 2,000 health workers to be deployed in communities to screen people for symptoms of the virus. But more than 12,000 people showed up at two separate centres in the cities of Blantyre and Mzuzu. Secretary for Health Charles Mwansambo told AFP that 118 job-seekers were injured in the northern city of Mzuzu, admitting that authorities had under-estimated the numbers that would turn up. "There was a gross under estimate of the people who would come, that is what regrettably led to what we have today." "This is an overwhelming response with unfortunately tragic consequences and circumstances," Mwansambo said. In Blantyre police had to fire teargas to disperse the large crowd of agitated applicants. Police spokesman Paul Tembo told AFP that they were still investigating the incidents. Malawi has so far recorded 443 COVID-19 cases, including four deaths since the virus was first detected on April 2. A rights group Youth-Decide Campaign slammed government for "degrading" and "shambolic" recruitment practice. "The whole exercise mirrors horrifying incompetence by government and its agents at the ministry of health," said the group's leader Charles Kajoloweka. str/sn/pma