Uganda has confirmed 14 more new cases of COVID-19 which pushes the country’s caseload to 755.
Nine of the confirmed cases were picked from alerts and contacts of already confirmed cases in the areas of Kampala, Kyotera and Nebbi while five of the cases were picked from truckers who entered the country from various points of entry in Busia, Mirama Hills, Bunagana and Lia. An additional 27 foreign truck drivers who tested positive were sent back to their countries of origin.
According to the Health ministry, all the new community cases were already under quarantine at different centres in the country. The increase in cases puts Uganda at 109 cases ahead of Rwanda which has 646 positive cases of COVID-19 so far.
In the East African Community, Kenya has reported the highest number with 4,257 confirmed cases and 117 deaths reported followed by South Sudan with 1,830 confirmed cases and 32 deaths. Tanzania’s cases still stand at 509 since the last update more than a month ago.
Public health experts say that Uganda could see an increase in cases soon. Prof Freddie Ssengooba, a public health specialist and a member of the Scientific COVID-19 Health ministry committee says that the country is about to witness its first phase of COVID-19.
“We have not yet experienced this disease. Before things got serious we closed up the country and hid. At that time we had a few sporadic cases. But now with the release of the lockdown, we are going to see our first phase and we shall see an increase in numbers,” Prof Ssengooba said.
Similarly, Dr Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary at the ministry of Health in an earlier interview intimated the same saying Uganda’s numbers are likely to skyrocket.
“When you see the situation in town, people have become complacent with the disease and this is going to lead to many community transmissions, Uganda is just seeing to see the start of the disease,” she said.
Increases in COVID-19 cases have been reported globally too. According to the World Health Organisation, the number of cases reported daily has increased in the past weeks, with more than 100,000 cases reported on a daily basis. Countries that had begun reporting no new cases like China are now re-instating lockdowns after new cases were reported.
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