The tiny East African nation of Burundi has finally lost its coronavirus chastity after two cases were confirmed late Tuesday.
Health minister Thadée Ndikumana announced that the two patients are Burundians aged 56 and 42.
“Both are Burundian nationals who had travelled to Rwanda and Dubai respectively and are being hospitalised at Bumerec hospital in Bujumbura,” the health minister told a news conference.
He, however, did not announce the day they arrived in the country saying it might jeopardise contact tracing efforts.
“We cannot provide the dates as investigations are ongoing,” said Dr Ndikumana.
When contacted by KAFTAN Post in Abuja, Burundi Ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuel Mpfayokurera confirmed thus: ” They are Burundians who were in Dubai but transited in Kigali before they get in Burundi. So Burundi joins other nations fighting Coronavirus. I had said that it was by the grace of God to not have got it yet.”
Burundi, a former French colony, has in recent path towed a more independent-minded domestic and foreign policies, including an economy and political systems devoid of donors funding and foreign mandates.
Western media, however, constantly challenge the country’s leaders in the area of human rights. Burundi is a remarkably peaceful society in the midst of the chaos of the Great Lake Region.
As neighbouring countries of Rwanda, DR Congo and Tanzania reported cases of coronavirus, Burundi suspended all flights to and from Melchior Ndadaye International Airport and started screening returnees and visitors from countries affected by Covid-19.
The pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Africa on 14 February in Egypt.
