The coronavirus is making headlines. We have been getting a lot of email updates from our Country Director (CD) about potential action plans regarding the outbreak and if it gets too close to Rwanda. Peace Corps volunteers and staff are given a travel ban to specific countries to reduce the risk of contraction, while some countries are given more severe measures.
Peace Corps Volunteers in China and Mongolia have been evacuated. These countries have been recalled, but will be resumed once the outbreak is contained. A similar protocol occurred when Ebola was at its peak in West Africa circa 2014. A a total of 340 Volunteers from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea were sent home. If the coronavirus comes to Africa and threatens volunteers, a similar protocol will take place. As of February 25, there have been two confirmed cases in Northern Africa.
One of my fellow volunteers pointed out that it’s easier to confirm cases in developed countries, and much more difficult to do so in underdeveloped ones. There are likely more cases in Africa that haven’t been confirmed.
The benefit of the Ebola crisis is that many African countries have been diligently screening travelers upon arrival. So, there’s already a process in place to counteract the coronavirus and Rwanda is no exception. In fact, WHO even commended Rwanda’s preemptive measures against Ebola. Rwanda borders the D.R. Congo and Uganda, both of which have multiple confirmed Ebola cases. Despite its proximity, Peace Corps Rwanda is still operating because of the preventive measures and hopefully it will continue to do so even as the coronaviruses creeps closer.
That’s all I know for right now, but our email updates from our CD keep on coming.
Rwandering around with Joanna 