The Ministry of Health on Friday, April 3, confirmed five new cases of COVID-19, bringing the national tally to 89. According to a statement from the ministry, the new cases were identified in the exercise of tracing people who came into contact with COVID-19 confirmed cases. This was the first time all cases identified were from contacts made by previously diagnosed patients. The ministry stipulated in the statement that patients are now being treated in designated health facilities, reiterating that none of them is in critical condition. So far, majority of those who tested positive were found to have come into the country through Dubai. It is expected that the first batch of patients will be discharged at the end this week, as earlier announced by the Ministry of Health. As the number of confirmed cases surge, the Government has taken several measures to curb the further spread of this pandemic, the recent one being extending the COVID-19 lockdown to 15 more days. It will go through April 19. Globally, coronavirus cases have surpassed one million, while the death toll now stands at over 58,000. How to prevent the pandemic? Some of the precautionary measures to follow so as to tackle COVID-19 include; avoiding unnecessary travels to countries with this pandemic, avoiding body contact (handshakes and hugs) and frequently washing hands with soap and water or disinfect their hands using sanitizer. The measures also include avoiding touching the nose, eyes or mouth before washing hands. Citizens can also telephone 114, a Rwanda Biomedical Centre toll-free number, for further guidance.
