Rwanda enforces a 7-day quarantine on visitors because of a new COVID variant.

Rwanda has enforced a seven-day quarantine on travelers arriving in Kigali who have recently been to countries where the new COVID-19 strain has been detected.

All direct flights between Rwanda and countries in southern Africa have been temporarily halted.

Last week, a decision was made to confine the new variety discovered in South Africa and surrounding nations, which was disclosed on November 25. The new variety, now known as Omicron, has now been confirmed in 13 nations.

The measures were passed during an unusual Cabinet meeting scheduled on Sunday to examine Rwanda’s reaction to the new variation. President Paul Kagame presided over the meeting.

B.1.1.529, the new variation, is claimed to spread three times quicker than the Delta variant.

Rwanda has joined the European Union, the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom in suspending flights to southern Africa.

However, the WHO cautions that imposing travel prohibitions may be too late since the new form has already spread to a dozen nations.

According to the Ministry of Health, the new variation has not been discovered in Rwanda.

However, Rwanda has almost doubled the number of Covid-19 tests performed per day since November 26 from an average of 10,000 tests per day.

Covid-19 infections and fatalities have plummeted to fewer than 1% in recent months, prompting the closure of all Covid-19 treatment facilities and hospitals.

To combat the spread of Covid-19, Rwanda made immunization mandatory for everyone attending particular festivals and gatherings.

“People attending events/gatherings, such as conferences, concerts, weddings, festivals, or exhibits, must be completely vaccinated and tested,” according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office.

So far, 3.2 million Rwandans have been completely vaccinated, with 5,944,102 receiving the first shot, including children aged 12 to 17.

Rwanda aims to completely vaccinate at least 40% of its 12.9 million inhabitants, or 5.1 million people, by the end of this year.

Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said on national television that vaccination is the only way to protect against Covid-19 and its ever-mutating versions.

He asked citizens to acquire the full dosage of immunization, to be checked on a regular basis, and to follow the health rules in place.

“All of these varieties are generated from the same virus, which has a vaccination.” “We overcame Delta last year, and we will beat this one as well,” Dr Ngamije said.

He went on to say that the new variation comes at a dangerous time, as the holiday season approaches, and urged the people to be vigilant.