This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
On July 1, 2020, Burundi's new President Evariste Ndayishimiye made a dramatic U-turn in the country's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, declaring the virus the nation's "biggest enemy".
Just a month after the sudden death of former President Pierre Nkurunziza, who had downplayed the gravity of the pandemic, Ndayishimiye vowed to take a more aggressive approach to combating the spread of the virus.
Speaking after the swearing in of his new government in parliament, Ndayishimiye called for "strict respect for preventative measures" and promised to increase testing and treatment capacity.
He warned citizens that those who did not get tested when they had symptoms would be considered a "sorcerer" and treated severely.
The turnaround comes after the World Bank donated $5 million to help Burundi fight the virus, and after the country expelled a team of World Health Organization experts in May.
