KIGALI – Rwanda has confirmed two more coronavirus cases, bringing the tally of infections in the country to 19.
The country’s Ministry of Health said Sunday evening that the new patients are Rwandan citizens who arrived from Dubai, United Arab Emirates on March 19 and 20 respectively.
“All patients remain under treatment in stable condition, isolated from other patients. The tracing of all contacts has been conducted for further management,” the minister wrote.
Rwanda confirmed its first case on March 14, an Indian who arrived in the country from Mumbai on March 8.
The minister in the statement said that the enhanced prevention measures announced by the Office of the Prime Minister must be rigorously observed; “non-essential businesses are closed, travel between cities and districts is suspended, and non-essential movements outside the home are not permitted.”
“Continue to observe the instructions of health authorities, particularly washing hands regularly and maintaining physical distance from other people (at least 1metre).”
He added that key symptoms of coronavirus are dry cough, shortness of breath, and fever.
Rwanda’s Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente on Saturday declared a countrywide lockdown in new measures to deal with COVID-19.
In a statement released Saturday evening, the prime minister declared that effective midnight on Saturday, all the country’s borders will be closed for the next two weeks.
Other measures include a temporary ban on non-essential travel between different cities and districts across the country, while all employees in the public and private sectors will work from home.
Only those providing essential services will be allowed to leave their homes.
