Imported cases especially from European and neighbouring countries have led to an increase in cases, minister says.
Rwanda has recorded a spike in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks that has brought the total number to 6,349 cases. According to the Ministry of Health’s daily report, 40-70 cases have been recorded every day for the last two weeks.
The spike is the most consistent Rwanda has recorded. The Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije said that part of the increase in cases was as a result of imported cases especially from European and neighbouring countries that are having another wave of increased infections.
“We have been testing people travelling from neighbouring countries and Europe with higher number of infections. Airports are open and other international activities are eventually being opened; more reasons for people to travel and more infections prevalence,” Minister Ngamije explained.
He added that there are more infections in places like schools, prisons and hospitals, which all led to an increase in cases in the last few weeks.
Rwanda National Police spokesperson, CP Jean Bosco Kabera, however, attributes the increase in cases to the fact that people are no longer following Covid-19 measures as they should.
“People are ceding to the Covid-19 measures because we are getting back to normal with most activities open. Whenever the measures are not observed, cases increase,” he said.
A total of 53 fatalities have been recorded since March 2020, six being recorded in the last two weeks. Musanze and Rubavu, secondary cities, are the most affected after Kigali, with at least two infections recorded every day.
Among the 6,349 Covid-19 infections recorded as of Friday, 91 percent or 5,789 have recovered. Rwanda has consistently been testing 1,000-4,000 people in the last few months.
Like other countries globally, Rwanda is looking forward to receiving the Covid-19 vaccine that is scheduled to arrive in March 2021, according to the Minster of Health. The government will prioritise people at risk such as the elderly, frontline workers and people with respiratory illness. They all account for 20 percent of the population.
Rwanda is the second least infected country in the East African region after Burundi with 720 cases and 1 death. Kenya has the highest number with more than 90,000 cases.
The most Covid-19 affected African countries in terms of the number of positive cases include South Africa, Morocco, Egypt and Ethiopia. A total of 1,916,227 people are infected with Covid-19 across the continent.
