Burundi reopens borders with Tanzania, suspends compulsory quarantine

Burundi has on Monday reopened its Kobero-Kabanga and Mugina borders with Tanzania, which were closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Jean Baptiste Nzorironkankuze, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Health said: “Quarantine for all travellers, and all mandatory quarantines countrywide now have been suspended but the travellers are expected to self-quarantine at their homes or a hotel of their choice for 24 hours waiting test results through their e-mails,”

“The border of Kobero and Mugina is now open for travellers and they will have to test for Covid-19 as well before continuing their travels,” he noted.

Bunnaj Africa gathered that the Burundi’s busiest border is Kobero, which many traders utilize as a hub for importing and exporting commodities to and from Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port.

On January 11 of this year, Burundi declared the suspension of its sea and land borders after the country experienced its largest number of Covid-19 cases in 48 hours.

To combat the spread of Covid-19, the government implemented more stringent measures earlier last year, including mass testing, social distance, and the shutdown of nightclubs across the country.

Since the first case was reported in the country, Burundi has recorded a total of 5,026 positive cases of coronavirus out of 339,919 people tested. Five cases detected in Burundi were returned to Tanzania for medical treatment.

Some 4,903 people have recovered from the virus, while the country has recorded eight deaths.

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