BUJUMBURA December 17th (ABP) – The Minister of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security, Mr. Gervais Ndirakobuca, issued a press release on Tuesday in which he indicates that as part of the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Burundi, the government of Burundi, through the national committee responsible for combating the spread and contamination of Covid-19, has taken measures to fight against the pandemic. Observation of these measures produced satisfactory results to the extent that the rate of contamination in Burundi had become lower compared to other countries.
Through the said press release, the Ministry of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security thanks all the partners who are involved in raising awareness and mobilizing the people against the dangers of this pandemic and in respecting the measures of prevention. For example, Minister Ndirakobuca cites as examples the churches and religious denominations, the various NGOs and civil society organizations.
In these days, he said, the ministry has nevertheless observed a clear lessening in compliance with those measures, which has led to a significant increase in positive cases in the country, whether inside the country, in cities and in urban centers.
Through that press release, they cite, for example, the owners of drinking establishments and nightclubs which, despite the ban on organizing gatherings taken in the context of prevention, continue to organize large events that attract a lot of people like Karaoke and nightclubs. Following this situation, the Ministry of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security recalls that strict observance of the following measures is the best weapon for preventing and combating the pandemic: mandatory hand washing with soap or chlorinated water, several times a day, strict compliance with the suspension of karaoke, nightclubs and the compulsory wearing of masks in public transport, the setting up and the compulsory use of washing devices in front of all service offices, all places of large gatherings such as markets, places of worship, schools and the verification that they are correctly and regularly used by everyone without exception; the strict prohibition of greetings by shaking hands or kissing; mandatory physical distancing in public and assembly places where everyone should wear a mask if possible; banning the people from non-essential parties or events; severe penalties for people who test positive and who continue to spread the pandemic; the obligation for the local administration to redouble community surveillance to verify that people with colds, those showing signs of this disease or who have been in contact with a person tested positive for Covid-19 wear a mask, isolate themselves and will be tested as quickly as possible, the test being free of charge throughout the national territory; regular verification of the strict and compulsory observance of hygiene measures in all public and private services throughout the country.
The Ministry of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security would like to recall that the measure banning large gatherings, nightclubs and karaoke remains in force until further notice and that violators are exposed to very severe administrative and / or criminal penalties.
The same ministry calls on all administrative and police authorities to ensure strict compliance with all measures to combat this pandemic and to severely sanction any offender in order to maintain control of the pandemic to allow the people to pursue the various activities of development and to celebrate the end-of-year festivities in good health.
Finally, the ministry asks all its partners, and in particular religious denominations and civil society as a whole, to support government measures, particularly in raising public awareness for the implementation of all measures taken against that pandemic.