The government has put Kigali under another total lockdown for 10 days effective July 17 as the country battles a severe third wave that has seen fatalities increase over the last two weeks.

As of Saturday, the country had 16,632 active coronavirus cases with a test positivity rate of 3.7 percent.

Some 649 have succumbed to the virus while 72 people are in critical condition. A cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame on Wednesday announced the measures, banning non-essential movements in the capital and the districts of Gicumbi, Burera, Musanze, Kamonyi, Nyagatare, Rwamagana, Rubavu, and Rutsiro.

The current surge in infections has mainly affected Kigali which represents over half of reported cases, according to Rwanda Biomedical Center’s statistics.

A communique issued on Wednesday evening stated that non-essential businesses, churches, schools, and universities shall all close.

Employees will work from home, public transport shall not operate, and movements are prohibited except for essential reasons.

“Given the rapid spike in Covid-19 cases, the emergence of new variants, and increase of Covid-19-related deaths, the government has decided to further tighten the existing control measures,” the statement said.

For many who live hand to mouth, the next 10 days will be extremely difficult. But life will be even more difficult in homes with patients infected with the coronavirus.

Here are our top tips for taking care of your mental health as things change. Get your information from the right sources given that there is lots of conflicting and confusing information about Covid-19 and the new variants, easing of restrictions, it is hard to know who to trust.

If you are not sure what is or is not allowed, stick to trusted sources like Rwanda Biomedical Centre, the Ministry of Health, Office of the Prime Minister, and Rwanda National Police websites and social media pages for the most up to date information.

Challenge unhelpful thoughts — It's natural to feel worried every now and again, but our anxious thoughts can sometimes be unhelpful. If you can learn to identify and separate unhelpful thoughts from helpful ones, you can find a different way to look at the situation.

It's easy to feel isolated or lonely when we are struggling. However, chances are that someone we know feels exactly how we do too.

Opening up to a person we trust can be really helpful, whether it's a friend or family member. Uncertainty can be hard to manage but making plans can help you avoid this.

Preparing for any challenges ahead of time can help us to feel more comfortable and confident in what we are doing.

Most of all, take care of yourself, protect yourself and your loved ones. Stay home. Stay Safe!