The Minister of Health Dr. Daniel Ngamije has said that the seriousness of Covid-19 has left at least seven Rwandans, including a 22-year-old, fighting for their lives in intensive care units (ICU). Ngamije was appearing on the national broadcaster on Thursday, August 27 where he was joined by the Minister of Local Government, Prof. Anastase Shyaka, to shed light on the current status of the fight of Covid-19. Ngamije said that it is time Rwandans dispel the myth that only older people are affected by the virus. “Currently there are seven people who are being treated in the intensive care unit and this is something new. Among these people, there is a 22-year-old. It is time for Rwandans to understand that this virus does not segregate and it does not only attack older persons,” he said. Shedding light on current decisions Ngamije explained that the Cabinet decision to temporarily suspend public travel between provinces was one of the ways that the government sought to protect its people based on the large numbers of people who use this mode of transport. Additionally, he explained that the curfew had been changed from 9pm to 7pm to discourage people from converging into groups. “What we are aiming at is to see that people leave their places of work and go straight home without going anywhere else first. This is for their own protection,” he said. Minister Shyaka on his part sent a stern warning to local leaders that they will be held accountable if members of their community are found breaching the Covid-19 government guidelines. He also called on Rwandans to change their attitude and go cashless. “There is a need for an attitude change. People should embrace using technology to do their transactions, they should put emphasis on social distancing and leaders in places like markets should ensure that all this is working well,” he said. So far, Rwanda has reported a total of 3,625 Covid-19 cases since mid-March. Of these, 1,810 are recovered cases while a total of 15 patients have succumbed to the virus.
