Rwanda has made good strides in the fight against the New Coronavirus but the virus remains around and requires sustained efforts to defeat.
The observation was made by President Paul Kagame, who is also the Chairman of the ruling party Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi), on Friday while presiding over the party’s Extended National Executive Committee meeting at the party headquarters in Rusororo.
“The pandemic itself seems to be still here with us. Some say it is actually just starting. Much as I said earlier that we have been able to overcome it and many of those who contracted it are still alive, whatever measures we have put in place to prevent it must continue,”
“If anything, we need to do more to reinforce these measures further to continue managing it. This is something we cannot play around with. Those who investigate the virus on a daily basis, including scientists and researchers, are yet to fully figure everything about the Coronavirus, the new one as it is” President Kagame said.
The Head of State said that scientists are still trying to understand all about the virus and come up with a solution in the near future, including a possible vaccine or medication but before that happens, the preventive measures remain the same.
“How we conduct ourselves as individuals in terms of protecting ourselves further translates into protecting others as well,” President Kagame said, adding that the known measures, which start with testing and isolation when one tests positive are very important in minimizing the spread.
He said that other safety measures including wearing a safety mask help safeguard oneself and others while social distancing and avoiding the culture of hugging and getting close are all key in minimizing the spread. He said that personal hygiene remains an important measure in containing the spread.
Rwanda has so far registered 858 cases following 8 more cases which were recorded on Friday out of 3,763 tests conducted. Four of the cases were detected in Kigali while the other four are in Rusizi.
In other good news, 13 recoveries were registered, bringing total recoveries to 398 but active cases remain higher at 458. On Thursday, 6 villages in the City of Kigali were placed under lockdown for 15 days to contain a possible spread.
