Rwanda restores strict coronavirus measures amid spike in infections

Africa News of Wednesday December 16, 2020

Source: theeastafrican.co.ke

16/12/2020

Rwanda reinstated strict preventive measures against Covid-19 before the holidays, nine months after the first case of Covid-19 was reported in the country.

As of Tuesday, all social and public gatherings are banned, including weddings, and the curfew will now begin at 9 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. The curfew ends at 4 a.m. as before.

From December 22, the hours will be tightened even further and the curfew will run from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.

The announcements were made following a Cabinet meeting on Monday, chaired by President Paul Kagame.

Gyms and swimming pools, which were allowed to reopen last month, have been ordered to close again, with the exception of those in hotels.

Churches are allowed to hold a service once a week with 50 percent of the congregation.

First national football league matches and training camps have been suspended except for competitions of national football teams and clubs involved in international competitions.

Meetings, conferences and workplaces should not exceed 30% of the people accommodated and public transport will operate at 50% of capacity.

Rwanda recorded 131 new coronavirus infections on Monday, the highest daily total since August.

In the past two weeks, the country has recorded a total of 814 infections and seven deaths.

As of Tuesday, Rwanda had recorded a total of 6,747 coronavirus cases, 5,996 recoveries and 56 deaths.

Health practitioners and the national police attributed the peak to public disregard for Covid-19 precautionary measures.

“We all want to receive the Covid-19 vaccine as quickly as possible, but we know the operational and logistical constraints to manage and overcome. Expect initial doses of vaccine between March and June 2021, ”Rwandan Minister of Health Dr Daniel Ngamije said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Primary Health Care Dr Tharcisse Mpunga said gatherings, especially weddings, were among the catalysts for the spread of Covid-19 infections.

Musanze, being one of the hotbeds of infections after Kigali and Rubavu, was subjected to a curfew from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. Meetings and conferences in Musanze are prohibited.

Rwanda now offers Covid-19 testing on arrival at Kigali International Airport.