Rwanda on Thursday registered 16 new cases of New Coronavirus out of 3,463 tests which were conducted, bringing the total number of cases in Rwanda so far to 1,210.
Rusizi district registered seven while Kigali and Kirehe registered four each while Ngoma district recorded one case.
The numbers are the latest, following 22 cases which were registered on Wednesday and 49 on Monday, with Kigali and Rusizi alternating in terms of registering the highest number of daily cases.
There was drama on Thursday after it emerged that four people escaped from a COVID-19 isolation centre in Ngoma District, Eastern Province on Wednesday evening but they were later apprehended by Rwanda National Police (RNP) on Thursday.
Police in Ngoma District said it arrested all the four detainees, who escaped from COVID-19 treatment centre at ASPEK Secondary School in Kibungo Sector.
The four, all men, escaped at about 7:30 PM on Wednesday after breaking the window iron bars.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, identified the quartet as Mubyarirehe alias Nyamayarwo, Dominique Ndagijimana, Jean Paul Banguwiha and Olivier Nsabimana.
“Following information that four detainees, who were being treated at ASPEK COVID-19 centre, have escaped, security organs and local leaders worked together to locate their whereabouts,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
“On Thursday, following the release of their particulars and identities, people, who saw them, were quick to call the Police,” he added.
Banguwiha was the first to be arrested at about 9:30 AM, Mubyarirehe was also located and arrested at about 12-noon; Ndagijimana was caught at about 2:30 PM while Nsabimana was the last to be arrested at about 3 PM.”
“Mubyarirehe and Banguwiha were arrested in their homes in Mugesera and Zaza sectors, respectively; Ndagijimana was found hiding at a friend’s house in Mugesera while Nsabimana was located and arrested in Rwamagana town,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
Banguwiha, 21, was convicted for theft and handed a one-year sentence, Mubyarirehe, 52, was facing charges related to use of threats, while Ndagijimana and Nsabimana had been arrested for allegedly stealing goats and cattle, respectively.
“Security organs and medical personnel are also tracing their likely contacts, including their families where they were found,” the spokesperson said.
Police thanked those who were quick to facilitate the arrests and urged anyone, who could have had any contact with the quartet to come forward for testing and due treatment, to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
