The Ministry of local government on Thursday, June 11 announced that Nkombo island in Rusizi district is currently under total lockdown.

The move was informed by an increase in Covid-19 infections that have been detected in the area recently.

"Nkombo is currently under total lockdown, in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the area,” Anastase Shyaka, the Minister for Local Government announced on his Twitter account.

According to the local government, Nkombo island follows four other sectors that have previously been put on total lockdown in Rusizi district.

Last week, sectors including Nyakarenzo, Mururu, Kamembe and a part of Gihundwe were put under total lockdown and will remain out of contact with other parts of Rusizi and the country at large, as efforts continue to isolate cases that could be in communities.

Plans to assist affected Rusizi residents

Tharcisse Mpunga, the State Minister in the Ministry of Health said that more patients are being traced in Rusizi district.

However, medical teams and facilities have been dispatched in the area to manage and contain the spread of the virus, he said.

"We have been recording a big number of patients from the same areas. It means the virus has been spreading for days. Until we trace all the patients, the district will remain under lock-down,” he said.

Besides, the government is cognisant of the fact that the majority of residents from this town thrive on trade, especially across the border and will, therefore, be heavily affected by the lockdown, Minister Shyaka said.

Hence, Shyaka added, the government is ready to support businesses, individuals whose daily survival depended on cross-border businesses and hand-to-mouth jobs.

In addition, the Minister called upon collaboration amongst residents in total lockdown and urged the public to adhere to preventive measures and avoid any contact with locked-down areas.

The Local Government Ministry ’s decision was announced on the same evening when the Ministry of Health confirmed 18 new COVID-19 cases, majority of whom are linked to Rusizi and Rusumo clusters.

The country has so far recorded a total of 494 coronavirus cases, 313 patients have so far recovered while two patients have lost their lives.