Kigali International Airport in Rwanda’s capital city Kigali has launched a Covid-19 testing laboratory at the airport to ensure all travellers are tested upon arrival.

The new testing laboratory was inaugurated by the Ministry of Health of Rwanda on 24 December.

At the event launch, Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said: “Unlike previously when samples for incoming travellers were taken at designated hotels, all passengers will be tested at the airport and get their results within 24 hours.”

Ngamije stated that the laboratory can test up to 1,000 samples per day.

All arriving passengers will have to take the test at their own cost, reported Xinhua.

Ngamije added: “With a growing number of travellers, a lot of time was wasted taking samples at hotels, yet testing was done elsewhere at the national laboratory. This sometimes led to delays in releasing the results.”

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However, passengers will receive their test results at their designated hotels.

Earlier this month, amid the rise in new cases and deaths, the Health Minister had issued a warning that the Covid-19 pandemic has reached a “critical stage” in Rwanda.

As of now, Rwanda has registered 7,670 cases of which 6,203 had recovered.

The ministry said that the national death toll now stood at 69 after recent reports confirmed three more deaths.

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