Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) is set to roll out the second round of mass testing for Covid-19 within Kigali, with a target to screen over 100,000 city residents. The exercise is to be carried out at the cell level on July 23 and 24. It was planned that the testing drive will be carried out at the start and end of the lockdown period, according to health officials. “This is another random mass sampling targeting at least 15 per cent of the adult population with greater focus in sectors with a positivity rate above 5 per cent” said Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the Director-General of RBC. The selected households are different from the ones of the previous mass testing done on July 17th and 18th. Lt. Col Dr. Tharcisse Mpunga said they want to evaluate “those who got infected during the lockdown as opposed to before, where figures showed those who were infected before the lockdown period.” Adding; “We want to assess the current situation in areas that marked high positivity rate in the previous testing.” Nsanzimana said on the national broadcaster that “more than 40,000 people were found infected with Covid in the assessment of data from previous mass testing in Kigali.” He also said that they are yet to assess the factors for high positivity rate in Gasagara and Gacaca cells in Rusororo Sector, Gasabo District. This comes after the conclusion of extended mass testing in other eight districts under lockdown. “We tested 5 per cent of people in each cell in upcountry districts under lockdown and a minimum of 100 people in districts with allowed mobility,” said Dr. Nsanzimana.
