As days go by, coronavirus disease is still a headache to the world, Rwanda is no exception. In Africa and the world at large, leaders are coming together to find a solution. Some countries are easing their measures as they are trying to reopen the country’s economy. Others are tightening their restrictions since the situation is not better. However, experts from various regions advise the African countries that it is still not safe to ease their measures. This is because there is still a high rate of coronavirus cases as the curve is not flat yet. According to the World Health Organization, the number of coronavirus cases in Africa is over 150000 while there are 4344 fatalities and over 60000 recoveries.
Outbreak Of Coronavirus In Rwanda
Coronavirus landed in Rwanda during March. At this time there was only one positive case of coronavirus in the country. Later, four other people contracted the disease bringing the national tally to five in Rwanda. By the second week of March, there was a total of seven cases of coronavirus after Kigali recorded 2 more cases of COVID-19. The Rwandan government then took various draconian measures to help curb the spread.
The government started by suspending the international flights by over 21 days and imposed a 14-day national lockdown. All these efforts were to help the health workers test people and separate those who were sick. The government imposed further measures such as ordering people to work from home and all borders were not to operate. Before the end of March, the Ministry of Health had recorded over 50 positive cases of the coronavirus.
As April was approaching its 2nd week, the medical officers had recorded more cases. They took over seven hundred samples of suspected patients and three people tested postive with the coronavirus. This brought the national count to over a hundred cases of coronavirus and a total of seven patients recovered from it.
Coronavirus Updates As From May To June
After the Rwandan government had imposed tough measures to curb the virus, it decided to ease its measures a little bit. There was to be movement in and out of Kigali as thousands of motorcycle operators were to resume work. However, this is not the case. Today the government was to announce further measures. There is a reconsideration of allowing the movement in and out of the capital. Besides, there is little hope of motorcycle operators to continue with work.
The reason for changing the decision on easing the lockdown measures was due to a rise in cases and a single virus fatality. The causality was an old Rwandese lorry driver who was infected while in Tanzania. According to reports, the man came back to his country when he was very sick. Currently, reports say that there are over three hundred cases of the virus, 256 recoveries, and one death.
A big question that is still disturbing African leaders is whether this is the right time to reopen economies or they should wait longer. Is this the right time to return to normalcy or ease restriction measures?
More:
- Innovation for a Green Future: Rwanda’s Context
- Rwanda Genocide: Healing The Trauma Twenty-six Years On.
