Rwandan law enforcement authorities on Thursday decided to toughen physical distancing monitoring in Kigali city and its outskirts in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Across all streets of Kigali, police officers and young volunteers who were recently hired to monitor the behavior of the general public during the COVID-19 have been deployed to ensure that people keep a two-meter distance from each other when visiting public spaces, both indoors and outdoors.
The new decisions are based on epidemiological analysis that physical distancing is essential to breaking the link in the spread of the coronavirus, according to the Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Dr Sabin Nsanzimana.
The push for implementing new measures comes after health authorities in Rwanda have noted earlier this week that the spread of the COVID-19 infection still has been relatively gradual after the country decided to ease lockdown rules.
Under the new rules in Rwanda, non-essential movements and travel between cities are prohibited, and non-essential businesses are closed.
The government on Monday eased its COVID-19 lockdown first introduced in March.
Public, private businesses, manufacturing and construction sectors reopened with essential workers.
However the night curfew is in place from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time (1800-0300GMT).
Borders also remain closed except for cargo and returning Rwandans who will be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Rwanda’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased to 830, with 32 more cases confirmed as of Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health.
CU/as/APA