COVID-19 pandemic in Rwanda

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Rwanda in March 2020.

COVID-19 pandemic in Rwanda
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationRwanda
First outbreakWuhan, China
Index caseKigali
Arrival date14 March 2020
(5 months and 3 days)
Confirmed cases2,453 (as of 16 August)[1]
Active cases797 (as of 16 August)
Recovered1,648 (as of 16 August)
Deaths
8 (as of 16 August)

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[2][3]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[4][5] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[6][4] Model-based simulations for Rwanda indicate that the 95% confidence interval for the time-varying reproduction number R t has been around 1.5 since early May.[7]

Timeline

March 2020

The first case of COVID-19 in Rwanda was confirmed on 14 March 2020.[8] Four other people were tested after the first case tested positive, bringing the number of cases to five.[9]

By 16 March, Rwanda confirmed two more cases in Kigali, bringing the total number of cases in the country to seven.[10] In an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus, the Rwandan Ministry of Health announced on 18 March, via Twitter, that all international commercial passenger flights would be suspended for 30 days, with effect from 20 March.[11] Less than a day later, on 21 March, officials announced a two-week lockdown. Both public and private employees are to work from home, under strict measures. All borders are also to be closed, cargo and Rwandan nationals being exempt, with a mandatory 14-day quarantine.[12][13]

On 28 March, the Ministry of Health recorded six new COVID-19 cases, taking the total of those diagnosed with the virus to 60.[14]

By the end of March there were 75 confirmed cases, no deaths and no recoveries.[15]

April 2020

On 9 April, three new cases of coronavirus were identified, out of 720 samples examined in the previous 24 hours. This brought the total number of confirmed cases to 113 people (of which seven had recovered).[16]

In April there were 168 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 243. 104 patients recovered, leaving 139 active cases at the end of the month.[17]

May 2020

On 31 May, the first death was confirmed.[18] The number of confirmed cases stood at 370 (up by 127 from the end of April). The number of recovered patients increased by 152 to 256, leaving 113 active cases.[19]

June 2020

A cluster of cases in the Rusizi District of western Rwanda, on the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, caused the number of confirmed cases to spike. This, together with a smaller cluster in the Rusumo on the eastern border with Tanzania, sent the number of confirmed cases from 370 at the end of May, to 572 by 14 June.[20]

During June there were 655 new cases, raising the total number of cases to 1025. The death toll doubled to 2. The number of recovered patients increased by 191 to 447, leaving 576 active cases at the end of the month.[21]

July 2020

Rwanda was the only sub-Saharan state listed whose citizens and residents are able to travel to the European Union from July.[22]

There were 997 new cases in June, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 2022. The death toll more than doubled to 5. The number of recovered patients increased by 659 to 1106, leaving 911 active cases at the end of the month (an increase by 58% from the end of June).[23]

Government reaction

In addition to the lockdown measures taken in March (see above), Rwanda National Police on 12 April announced the usage of drones to deliver messages to local communities on how to combat the coronavirus.[24]

See also

References
  1. "Rwanda Coronavirus - Worldometer". www.worldometers.info. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  2. Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  3. Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  4. "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  5. "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  6. "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  7. Future scenarios of the healthcare burden of COVID-19 in low- or middle-income countries, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London.
  8. "Rwanda confirms first case of coronavirus - health ministry". Reuters. 14 March 2020. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  9. "Abanduye coronavirus mu Rwanda babaye batanu". BBC News Gahuza (in Kinyarwanda). 16 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  10. "Rwanda confirms seventh coronavirus case". The East African. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  11. Mbabazi, Eunniah (19 March 2020). "Rwanda Suspends All International Flights". kenyanwallstreet.com. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  12. "Rwanda in lockdown to contain coronavirus". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  13. "Rwanda steps up efforts to beat coronavirus". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  14. Kuteesa, Hudson (28 March 2020). "Rwanda COVID-19 cases increase to 60; all patients recovering well". The New Times. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  15. "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation 72" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 April 2020. p. 8. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  16. "Coronavirus - Rwanda : Mise à jour sur le coronavirus COVID-19 - 9 avril 2020". Alwihda Info - Actualités TCHAD, Afrique, International (in French). Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  17. "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report 102" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 May 2020. p. 5. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  18. Uwiringiyimana, Clement; Miriri, Duncan; Donovan, Kirsten (31 May 2020). "Rwanda reports its first death from the new coronavirus". Reuters. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  19. "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report 133" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  20. "Cluster of Covid-19 cases in western Rwanda continue to cause new infections". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  21. "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report 163" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 July 2020. p. 7. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  22. "Rwanda's Covid-19 response: A great indicator of a strong state". The New Times - Rwanda. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  23. "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report 194" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 August 2020. p. 5. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  24. Ashimwe, Edwin (12 April 2020). "Rwanda deploys drones to raise Covid-19 awareness in communities". www.newtimes.co.rw. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
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