The Ministry of Health on Friday, May 1, confirmed the full recovery of five more COVID-19 patients who were discharged from the treatment facility. According to a statement from the ministry, the newly discharged patients bring the number to 109 of those who have fully recovered. The ministry also reported that there were more six cases recorded in the country out of 1,365 samples that were tested within a period of 24 hours. Consequently, overall, the cases positively diagnosed in Rwanda are currently 249, with no reported death so far. “This reflects a rise in cases of cross-border truck drivers and their assistants. All active cases are in isolation in stable condition,” reads part of a statement from the ministry. The ministry’s update emphasized that anyone who withholds information relevant to contact tracing or knowingly fails to report COVID-19 symptoms jeopardizes public safety and will be punished in accordance with applicable laws. Meanwhile, as more numbers of confirmed cases are registered among cross-border truck drivers, the government introduced new measures to contain the spread of the virus through this channel. Among these include extending customs clearance to border posts to ensure merchandise brought by these trucks is cleared at the point of entry. Consequently, government set up a new facility in Rusumo near the Rwanda-Tanzania border to handle all customs clearing processes as part of the move to contain the rising cases of the new coronavirus. The research conducted by the government prompted the move to ease the lockdown, but some measures to further the pandemic strengthen the fight against the highly contagious virus are still emphasized. Globally, coronavirus cases have risen to more than 3,364,253 and 1,069,057 recoveries while 237,469 patients have lost their lives in more than 194 countries.
