The country has been recording increased new cases and deaths for the past three months comparatively to the previous period. According to RBC, the number of new infections has almost tripled over the past three months.

Appearing on RTV talk show today; the Director General of RBC, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana explained that critically ill patients would not surpass 10 within one day but the current situation is alarming.

“It is true that we have critically ill patients. The number of patients on ventilators would not surpass 10 as the largest number since the pandemic emerged. As of today, we have over 40 critically ill patients who are on ventilators and attended to with emergency,” he said.

Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March 2020. So far, 8021 people have been tested positive out of 719 482 sample tests of whom 6339 have recovered, 1607 are active cases while 75 have succumbed to the virus. New cases are nowadays found in different districts countrywide.

Dr Nsanzimana has related new cases to activities allowed to reopen and complacency against COVID-19 preventive measures.

“Of course, the increase of new patients is related to reopened activities including schools one hand. Secondly, the up surging number is driven by complacency against preventive measures among Rwandan residents. It has been observed that some people relented on some measures including proper wearing of face mask, social distancing. Thirdly, we are assessing the impact of cold weather conditions during this rainy season on spreading the disease,” he said.

Dr Nsanzimana highlighted that attendance to ceremonies for the past three months has also been among causes for increasing cases that people tended to behave as if they were in normal situation.

Following the up surging COVID-19 new cases whereby over 700 people were tested positive within 14 days while 6 succumbed to the virus in the same period, the cabinet meeting of 14th December 2020 set new stringent measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

These include reduced curfew hours while all social gatherings including wedding ceremonies and celebrations of all kinds were prohibited both in public and private settings.

During festive seasons, movements are prohibited from 8 PM to 4 AM effective from December 22nd – 4th January.

The Director General of RBC, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana