Coronavirus cases in Uganda rise to 63
The new cases in Uganda are long-distance truck drivers. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The new cases are long-distance truck drivers.
Kampala. Uganda has confirmed two new Covid-19 cases, bringing the country's total to 63.
The new cases were recorded on Wednesday by the Ministry of Health after testing 1,296 samples at the Uganda Virus Research Centre in Entebbe.
According to Dr Henry Mwebesa, the director general of health services at the Ministry of Health, one case was recorded from 550 samples that were taken from the community and quarantine centres and one case was from 746 samples tested from truck drivers at border points of entry.
He said that one of the positive cases is a 43-year-old truck driver who arrived from Tanzania on April 17.
“However, he was a contact of a Tanzanian truck driver who tested positive on April 17, as they travelled in the same vehicle. Because of his contact with the confirmed case, the ministry decided to quarantine him at Mulago Hospital. A test conducted on him today tested positive for Covid-19,” Dr Mwebesa said in a Wednesday statement.
“He did not have Covid-19 signs and symptoms during quarantine,” he added.
He said that another case is a 35-year-old Tanzanian truck driver who arrived at Mutukula Border Post from Dar-es-Salaam Tanzania who also did not show any symptoms.
Dr Mwebesa said said on Tuesday that World Health Organization's regulations require that every case is counted and treated in the country where it was tested and confirmed, meaning the country has to tally that of foreigners as well.
Initially, Uganda was not tallying confirmed cases from samples taken from Kenyan and Tanzanian truck drivers.
One Wednesday, seven patients were discharged. Three were discharged from Mulago Hospital while four were released from Entebbe Grade B Hospital, which brings the number of recoveries to 45.
