The Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Tuesday advised against non-essential travel to Hubei Province (China) due to a new Coronavirus outbreak
The ministry urged Rwandans to avoid all travel to the affected region unless it was “absolutely critical” and said it was closely working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure preparedness of health professionals in screening and administering care to those with symptoms of the disease.
In the meantime, Chinese health authorities have so far determined that the outbreak most likely started in a market in Wuhan, the sprawling capital of Central China’s Hubei province.
The WHO said that an animal source appears most likely to be the primary source of the outbreak.
Little known about the Coronavirus, also known as 2019-nCoV, for which there is no known vaccine.
“We will review and update this travel advisory as needed, based on the latest information on the ground and advice from public health authorities,” the statement said.
Coronaviruses are common among animals but in rare cases, they become what scientists call zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
CU/as/APA