Bukavu: 12 New COVID-19 Cases Prompt Total Lockdown of Bukavu City
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An entire neighborhood in Bukavu, the capital of DR Congo’s South Kivu province, also bordering Rwanda, has been placed under total lockdown to control spread of the COVID-19 virus.
On Tuesday, 12 cases were identified in a single day in the region – the only urban area in the vast territory. The following day, the South Kivu Provincial Governor Théo Ngwabidje ordered a 3-day locdown of Ibanda commune.
The complete lockdown is to allow provincial officials to trace and isolate all people who may have been in contact with the 12 new cases, according to the Governor.
In addition, the curfew that had been ongoing over the whole of Bukavu, will continue for a further 15 days beginning this Friday.
Bukavu now has total of 16 cases and 3 deaths from the virus. Its counterpart Goma, also bordering Rwanda, also has cases. Both borders are closed by Rwanda, allowing only cargo to travel.
The DR Congo capital Kinshasa has more than 2,500 positive cases, with 68 deaths.
Meanwhile, three Rwandan ministers met on Thursday with Congolese officials in the border town of Rubavu to work out a common response plan. The two delegations set up a working team to design the way forward.
