Uganda’s Covid-19 cases rise to 44 as 11 children test positive

A community leader speaks to Kampala residents on the coronavirus. At least 11 Ugandans on March 31, 2020 tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 44. PHOTO | BADRU KATUMBA | AFP

What you need to know:

  • It was not immediately clear where the 11 had travelled to.
  • On Monday, Mr Museveni put restrictions on the use of private vehicles.

At least 11 Ugandans on Tuesday tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 44.

President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday said the 11 are members of the Watoto Church Choir who had been quarantined after they returned to the country.

"Out of the 176 people tested, 11 of them tested positive and [they] are all children of Watoto Church Choir who are still in quarantine. They picked the disease from outside [Uganda]. I don't know where they had travelled [to]," Mr Museveni said.

He was speaking in a televised address which he had convened to clarify on the preventive measures he issued on Monday night against the spread of the virus.

On Monday, Mr Museveni put restrictions on the use of private vehicles and imposed a two-week curfew.

The Ugandan president noted that although restrictions had earlier been made by having private cars carrying only three people, some people had resorted to using their vehicles to transport others, increasing the risk of spreading the virus.