Kampala: 19th April 2020 – The President made another address to the nation on the state of the #covid19. Unlike previous updates, this time around there have been few social media commentaries about the Presidential address. This could mean that the address is starting to become more of the same.
The president started by thanking the health workers. “I want to thank and congratulate our health workers. They have done a wonderful job. They were not well prepared, but with the little they got, they managed to treat the 55 coronavirus-positive patients. And the consequence: no death”
He also thanked the Scientists, who he said have managed to explain the virus very well, saying that “pay the scientists well, because the [scientists] have practical solutions to problems.” Museveni then castigated people involved in the practice of hoarding food, saying “I don’t like selfish people. If I hear that there is not enough maize or beans because people are hoarding from the market, then I will import – and forget about you, because you are crooked, and your food will rot. So please, no games!”
The present disclosed that the government had injected Ugx. 200 billion into the covid19 war, in addition to about Ugx. 4.5billion from private sector contributions.
The State of covid19 in Uganda is not alarming.
There are 55 confirmed cases in Uganda and zero death. A total of 28 cases have fully recovered and discharged from the hospital. The active cases in Uganda are 27. This is the lowest reported cases in East Africa.
The practices to prevent the spread of the virus, including staying home if one feels unwell; calling for help in advance in case one feels unwell, Avoiding unneeded visits to medical facilities to enable health workers to operate more effectively; cleaning one’s hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers; social distancing and avoiding to touch one’s eyes, mouth, and nose.
According to the Ministry of Health, “On 19th April 2020, six patients were discharged from Mulago National Specialised Hospital after testing negative twice for COVID-19, bringing the total coronavirus recoveries in Uganda to 28. As of today, 1,126 samples tested negative for COVID-19: 837 samples were from truck drivers at border points; 289 samples were from individuals under institutional quarantine and contacts to confirmed cases; Confirmed cases of COVID-19 stand at 55 in Uganda.”
Thus far, the government’s preventative strategies especially timely enforcement of the lockdown, social distancing and curfew have helped reduce the spread. Additionally, the country’s health workers have worked tirelessly around the clock to arrest the situation as can be seen from the total number of recoveries.
Currently, all new cases being reported are imported cases, especially from long-distance truck drivers. The government must tight controls over such transmission vectors and plan to reopen the economy before June 2020. People must get back to work, otherwise, it is tough working from home.
Globally, 2.4 million people have been infected by the coronavirus, with 165,257 reported death and 625001 recoveries. At a global level, there are allegations that the reported cases could be higher in some countries. Be it as it may, the people who have died due to the coronavirus pandemic are so many. May their Souls Rest in Eternal Peace.
Copyright Mustapha B Mugisa, 2020. All rights reserved.
