Six villages of Kigali City were on Thursday, June 25 put under a 15-day total Covid-19 lockdown in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus in other areas.

The directive was announced by the Ministry of Local Government, explaining that the decision was based on analysis.

"Based on an analysis done by the Ministry of Health on Covid-19 and some parts of Kigali City where the pandemic has been detected so far, the following villages will be put under total lockdown for at least 15 days,” reads the Ministry’s statement in parts.

This decision follows a trend of new positive cases being detected in the city. 

For instance, since June 21 twenty-one cases have been confirmed in Kigali city alone.

The six villages put under lockdown are located in the Nyarugenge and Kicukiro districts.

They include Kamabuye and Zuba villages located in Nyarurama cell, Kigarama Sector in Kicukiro District.

Nyenyeri and Rugano villages of Kigarama and Gikondo Sectors respectively were also put under lockdown.

Other two cells are Kadobogo and Gisenga, located in Kigali Cell of Kigali Sector, Nyarugenge District.

According to the Ministry of Local Government, both private and public workers living in the mentioned areas are supposed to work from home during the 15-day of lockdown.

In addition to this, according to the statement, movements between the six cells and other neighbouring areas are prohibited unless for those having health reasons or other understandable issues.

The Ministry of Health and the City of Kigali will continue to monitor and see whether some other locations may also be put under lockdown if necessary, says the statement.

Local leaders and security organs were also urged to follow-up the implementation of the new directives that came into effect immediately after release.

Rwanda so far has 850 confirmed cases, of whom 385 have recovered. The country has since mid-March, when the first case was reported in Rwanda, recorded two deaths.

Looking at recent updates on the pandemic in the country, current main Covid-19 hotspots are Rusizi and Kirehe districts, and Kigali City.