The exercise which started today (Thursday, July 2, 2020) is to help officials probe the COVID-19 situation in the city. The testing survey will be on some selected streets and entry points of Kigali.
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Rwanda conducting street test survey of COVID-19
The police in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, is randomly stopping people to ask for their consent for coronavirus testing.
Traffic builds up on a main street in Rwanda [REUTERS]
Rwandan Minister of State in charge of Primary Healthcare Tharcisse Mpunga said on Rwanda Television that they chose Kigali for the survey because of the mass movement in the city.
He said that the testing “will provide factual information about the COVID-19 status in the capital.”
The minister appealed to the public to cooperate with health workers and security personnel who will stop them for questioning and testing.
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Rwanda has conducted more than 140,000 tests since March this year. More than 1,000 have recorded positive results.
Officials in Kigali told the BBC that they will focus on rush hours; morning hours as people go to work and, in the evenings, as they return home.
However, some people have complained that they are being forced to agree to the testing.
Others are also happy that they can easily get tested on the streets and continue their activities.
Last week, the Rwandan government re-introduced a lockdown in parts of Kigali as they confirmed several cases in those areas.
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