How East Africa is responding to third wave of Covid-19

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda remain vigilant in the fight against a third wave of the viral Covid-19 pandemic whose spectre is already casting an ominous shadow over the region.

Tanzania – which was one of the countries that were not particularly vocal about the pandemic – has started taking action against the projected third wave under the new administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has been in office since March 19 this year.

The country has also admitted to fears of the third resurgence of the coronavirus, with the director of preventive services in the Health ministry, Dr Leonard Subi, issuing a statement insisting on Tanzanians taking precautionary measures to curb the malady.

Dr Subi recommended that members of the private and public sectors take the steps needed to strengthen preventive measures in curbing the third wave of the deadly pandemic, including constantly wearing face masks, hand-washing and sanitizing, as well as maintaining the requisite social distancing.

The government has also shown an intention to resort to vaccination against the virus, and plans to obtain the right vaccines are already afoot.

The East African region was ravaged and savaged by the pandemic from early 2020. But imposition of lockdowns in some of the countries, combined with social distancing and other precautionary measures, cut down on possible infections and deaths in the region.

However, the situation has rapidly been deteriorating since March this year, with the number of reported infections and resulting deaths rising especially in Uganda and Kenya next-door.

Kenya

Early in March this year, Kenyan Health minister Mutahi Kagwe confirmed that Kenya was already under the third wave of the pandemic after infections rose to record numbers – reaching 713 new cases, the highest in a 24-hour period since November last year.

This led to President Uhuru Kenyatta imposing a zonal lockdown in parts of the country that were at high risk of the new wave of infections.

Worshiping places, schools, pubs and eateries were all closed in Nairobi city centre and the neighboring counties of Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos and Nakuru, all considered the Covid-19 “red zone.”

President Kenyatta also banned all movement by road, rail and air into or out of the zoned area, thus requiring residents to virtually stay home. Indeed, he also directed employers to immediately put in place mechanisms for their staff to work from home until further notice.

Uganda

In the period from May to June alone this year, Uganda lost nearly 300 people as a result of Covid-19 complications.

This pushed President Yoweri Museveni to impose a countrywide lockdown for 42 days starting on June 18, 2021.

“All cross-boundary and inter-district movement of public and private transport is banned,” President Museveni directed, adding that movement of persons needs to be restricted since it is one of the main causes for the rise in coronavirus cases. With a 17 percent rise in Covid-19 cases, Mr Museveni further tightened the restrictions by also closing down schools and places of communal worship, as well as suspending public gatherings.

He also put Uganda under a curfew lasting from 9pm to 5am every day, as well as ordering compulsory wearing of masks and social distancing in public places. Other measures are restricted cross-border movements, and the provision of proof of negative testing for the virus by all foreigners wishing to enter the country.

Rwanda

Risk of the third Covid-19 wave in Rwanda rose sharply as the virus took a bigger toll in the neighbouring countries of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Rwanda recorded 622 new infections on Monday alone: the highest number of cases in a single day in recent weeks in that country.

Last Monday, President Paul Kagame re-imposed tight restrictions against the pandemic – including the suspension of all social gatherings – and adjusted the curfew times from 9pm-4am to 7pm- 4am.

Cross-district movements have also been restricted, while mask wearing, hand-washing-cum-sanitizing and social distancing were further tightened.