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UGANDA: 24 new COVID-19 cases

ABILITY TO TEST FASTER: Minister of Health Aceng yesterday commissioned the 1st Port Health laboratory in Uganda. It is a gene expert laboratory with 2 machines and capacity to run 64 samples per hour, aimedd at improving controls at the borders..

UPDATE UGANDA
🔸 24 new cases (truck drivers)
✳ 69,729 UG Tests done
✳ 227 Confirmed cases
✳ 63 Recoveries
✳ 0 deaths

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & AGENCIES | Uganda’s COVID-19 cases rose to 227 Saturday, after the Ministry Of Health confirmed 24 new cases involving truck drivers.

This is the fifth time in a week that a high figure is confirmed on a single day for Uganda, with highest being Friday’s 43 – all truck drivers.

The only positive for the country from the results was that tests from the community for a seventh straight day registered no positive.

The drivers are:

🔺Elegu border post: 3 Ugandans, 2 Kenyans
🔺Mutukula border post: 6 Tanzanians, 1 Ugandan
🔺Malaba border post: 12 Kenyans

 

Scans that are being used to monitor truck drivers at the border

Earlier in the day, President Museveni directed that no truck driver, starting today, is allowed into the country unless he has a negative COVID-19 results. 

The Ministry of Health will with immediate effect also counsel and test all truck drivers employed in Uganda. No truck driver will also be allowed from entering the country from tonight unless they have negative COVID-19 results.

All those tested, will then have to adopt and implement the new “Truck Driver Journey Management System” Mobile application for easier monitoring.

This was agreed today in a meeting of representatives of the Truck Owners and National Logistics Platform where a plan to mobilize and counsel drivers was agreed.

These will be one several new measures to be taken after a Presidential Directive that only truck drivers with negative test results be allowed into the country.

Faced with the challenge of registering many new cases of COVID-19 imported from the neighbouring East African Community member states, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng the Minister of Health confirmed a new directive from President Museveni.

“H. E made a directive today that only truck drivers with negative COVID-19 test results will be allowed to enter Uganda,” she said.

All trucks drivers will be expected to first, undergo testing from their respective points of origin before embarking on their journeys.

Dr Aceng says that although Uganda is building its local testing capacities at the border entry points, they want the EAC member states to agree on a common approach of identifying and managing COVID-19 cases such that they can reduce risks of spreading the virus across borders.

The preferred testing process according to Dr Aceng will be connected to a regional network through which the EAC member states will be able to effectively track the patients before they interact with the community.

Last month, the East African Community developed a Regional Comprehensive COVID-19 Response Plan aimed at reinforcing measures to protect and prevent further spread of the virus in the region.

Some of the key interventions proposed in the plan are; risk communication and sensitization program and awareness creation, strengthening of the regional capacity for COVID-19 surveillance and reporting at all key border points, building regional capacity to support the Partner States on research, monitoring and coordination of preparedness to the pandemic among others things.

However, the plan according to Dr Aceng is not being implemented by some member states, saying that they have also asked the President Yoweri Museveni to ask other Heads of State to fast-track operationalization of the proposals.

Dr Isaac Ssewanyana, the Laboratory Director at the Uganda National Health Laboratory Services says Uganda is now leveraging from existing capacities in managing other deadly viruses that have hit the country before, reinforcing response to COVID-19.

He explains that they are now working around the clock to set up modern laboratories at the main border points on entry to facilitate rapid testing of all travellers before they enter the country.

On Friday, the Ministry of Health and National Health Laboratory Services commissioned a Genexpert Laboratory at the Uganda-Tanzania border post of Mutukula to facilitate on-spot Covid-19 testing for all travellers.

Having the tests done and results got instantly at points of entrance will at according to Dr Ssewanyana save Uganda of the cross-border transition of the virus as they wait for member states to begin on-site testing of their drivers.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 203 after 43 more people tested positive to the virus Friday – all truck drivers.

The new cases comprise 15 Ugandans, nine Kenyans and four Eritreans who entered the country through the Elegu border point. Six cases including five Tanzanians and one Burundian entered through Mutukula while five Kenyans, two Ugandans, one Burundian and one person whose nationality is unknown entered through Malaba.

The cases were part of 1,838 samples that were tested on Friday at Uganda Virus Research Institute and the Mutukula Point of Entry Laboratory.

A truck driver wearing a protective facemask as a measure to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 (the novel coronavirus), drives from Kenya to Uganda and prepares to pass the bordering city of Malaba, on April 29, 2020. PHOTO AFP

Kenya to close borders with Tanzania, Somalia over virus fears

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta announced Saturday that the country’s coronavirus measures would be extended and its borders with Tanzania and Somalia closed.

The East African nation will stop the movement of people and vehicles — but not goods — from its southern and northern neighbours from midnight, the president said.

“Among the positive cases that have been registered in the country this week, a total of 43 cases have recently crossed the border from neighbouring Somalia and Tanzania,” Kenyatta said in a televised address.

That represents almost a quarter of the 166 cases recorded during that period, he added. Kenya has so far reported 830 positive coronavirus cases and 50 deaths.

Tanzania has been increasingly criticised over its management of the pandemic.

Meanwhile experts have warned that Somalia — a fragile, under-resourced state already facing an armed insurgency, a locust invasion and flooding — is unable to cope with an outbreak.

Kenyatta also said the national 7pm-5am curfew would be extended until June 6, as would a ban on entering or exiting the cities of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale and Mandera.

“A brutal and unforgiving enemy is at our wall. He is trying to gain entrance using every door and every window,” Kenyatta said.

He also announced that truck drivers would be tested before entering Kenya, saying that border tests had identified 78 infected drivers, all turned back.

International flights have been suspended since March 25.

“If we do not take additional precautionary measures and get even more serious in implementing existing guidelines, the number of people who will get sick and die is going to rise sharply,” he warned.

 

35 comments

  1. It’s even too Late I think the government is more happy 😊 we told them to done something before it was not Late but kept on saying Trucks allowed in the Country, I think Uganda has become a day Care for COVID19. Trust me The government won’t be able to control those sick 😷 non Ugandans and all Sample’s will turn positive soon which will bring Uganda to total 50,000 truck drivers. Its better they send them back to own countries

    • Robert Byakika

      I thank the govt for importing Covid-19 disease instead of other commodities , the govt hasleft the natives dying of hunger at home now it is Targeting just covid because that is a source of income to top officials in the country
      Besides the top officials who else is benefitting from this ,I even blame those who are taking food to office of task force instead of giving it directly to natives who are in the lockdown
      My fellow members it is better to give natives food direct than taking it to the office
      STOP,STOPSTOP even donating the govt will be forced to lift the lockdown.

    • Robert Byakika

      Uganda has her major import now as Covid-19 minister continue importing
      GOD BLESS YOU

  2. Uganda being a landlocked country, we can’t stop truck drivers, but we need to select among the two; having life or death.

    • Byamukama Expedito

      How sure are we that those goods entering the country are not contaminated with the virus . they pose a danger to people who offload them and customers.

      • Sabiiti K Johnson

        Closing the boarder may not be the right solution for a land locked country like Uganda. These drivers need to wait for their results before proceeding with their journey(s). We are still surviving because of the Lord’s mercy

  3. Robert Byakika

    I thank the govt for importing Covid-19 disease instead of other commodities , the govt hasleft the natives dying of hunger at home now it is Targeting just covid because that is a source of income to top officials in the country
    Besides the top officials who else is benefitting from this ,I even blame those who are taking food to office of task force instead of giving it directly to natives who are in the lockdown
    My fellow members it is better to give natives food direct than taking it to the office
    STOP,STOPSTOP even donating the govt will be forced to lift the lockdown.

  4. Uganda is always like that but God knows what to do for us

  5. God knows the game the top officials are playing

  6. Our government doesn’t listen to its people. The few griddy and selfish Ugandan has dominated the scene and are now making big money out of COVID19.
    May the Lord God Almighty judge them.
    What I know now is that thing are late.

  7. Mr presdent thank you for sacrificing Ugandans You benefit with ur ministers

  8. That’s day to day daily food. You hear afool saying bse we were late for one day at entebe, Corona was brought by Ethiopian airline. Stopping cargo is sucidal, after importing the disease to 227. Stop, you have confused us, we no longer want to hear you. Bwongo bwankima.are not satisfied with donation when we are dieng here.

  9. Kansiime mackline

    So far we are reporting many cases of covid 19 due to truck drivers. I thought that we had so many drivers and vehicles why don’t we make substitutions in driving , give our drivers work.let those drive in their countries for example in Kenya, let one drive upto the border, off load the goods then a Ugandan may load and continue with driving to the border of Tanzania as goods continue perspectively.i know it will cost much but it will have saved our lives because we cannot stop goods from entering due to landlocked country

  10. First of all, i wanna thanks the president of republic of Uganda for handling Covid situations in the beginning. I don’t know why evil is making him to loose the efforts on the way before succeeding. Mr. President this Covid is a serious enemy to the country. It does not need laxity in any way. If developed world like America, Russia, UK and other has lost the battle to Covid then how can our poor country full of greedy, corrupt officials in your government given the scenario in OPM, Parliament and what is on in local government can survive this pandemic. Mr. President the Country can do without truck drivers for one month as government prepare to handle the situations. When Covid subside, Mr. President send IGG and auditors to various government agency. There is gross corruption going on during this Covid pandemic and this is weakening effort of front line workers in the fight against this brutal enemy Covid 19. Once again I thanks you Mr. President for being strong man among all African leaders. God bless you.

  11. Uganda should stop truck drivers from entering uganda

  12. The best that Ugandan government has done is to reduce exports and increase on corona imports.These donations,loans,grants are what is sky rocketing these numbers all of a sudden.Ask yaself,why a high number after receiving a huge amount from the U.N????????

  13. Jean Owembabazi

    The best that Ugandan government has done is to reduce exports and increase on corona imports.These donations,loans,grants are what is sky rocketing these numbers all of a sudden.Ask yaself,why a high number after receiving a huge amount from the U.N????????

  14. Mukoombozi Francis

    It’s high time to stop the truck drivers from other countries not to enter Uganda as Rwanda did, or close the boarders ,

  15. Government should relive Ugandans from anger because they now know where the problem is

  16. Anti uganda,let us suffer for the sake of truck drivers.

  17. Let the government now rename this virus as truck driver’s virus. B’se it is now transported by them. Thank u

  18. Let govt close the boarders period

  19. latim Brian kyeyune

    Atleast Ugandanso will smile due to the presidential order of stopping track drivers not until when tested negative but my appeal goes to the fellow Ugandans let’s join hands and fight Corona because together we can

  20. Thanks for the efforts but MOH should avail Ugandans details (District and sub county) of the confimed caeses to avoid unneccesary contacts and early precautions by the community

  21. Thank u mr. President for trying to control the situation at begining. But museveni can’t our country do without truck drivers? Stop them from entering the country for two wks & see wether our graph can rise. Plz don’t sell the lives of your voters for money. Listen to their cry block the borders & easy the lockdown coz your citizens are dying of hunger plz. Don’t do business

  22. Sabiiti K Johnson

    Closing the boarder may not be the right solution for a land locked country like Uganda. These drivers need to wait for their results before proceeding with their journey(s).

  23. Ofoymungu neurence

    Why always truck drivers,is it that we ugandan’s have 2much decipline of obeying da president rules.

  24. If all East African presidents were serious like HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda,East African s would have been hearing this COVID-19 from other countries.I call upon them to wake up so that we can treat this virus with a joint venture,approach and decisions made jointly. Long live our president,if I were God I would add you more 50 years but Heaven hears what we says and thinks.

  25. all i can say is that you are selfish

  26. Mr President of Uganda we like your way to handle the situation of corona but don’t u wakeup and see your close collaborator make profit of that situation of corona .they don’t care care about us all they want aid , donation to fit their pockets. To stop buses to move out of country it’s good area but in the country you should all taxis to move a taxi for 14 could take 7 people .but now we are suffering we people when your circle drive freely and we walk by foot.think about people live at slums areas they are more in danger then taxis you have locked .preach people to do social distance but allow people to move with masks and social distance. Taxis must have also sanitize . Think about your people we live in a poor country. People die would hunger don’t tell us about your experience with war coz this is pandemic corona .we are no in war but pandemic. We live day by day this lockdown can’t help .we know where corona is coming from drivers trucks as we call me virus trucks .corana didn’t come for the country but outside brought by truck drivers . Now think to release some position for people to breath .Ugandans will die with hunger more than corona.
    They system in very corrupt if you don’t watch out your people will against you .sromach empty doesn’t have voice as you know .we are 2 months today when the day of lockdown is over your minister of health brings story to increase number of cases positive.why ? Lockdown truck drivers . Try to release others sectors for your people for poor class who are on number suffering today .we as your normal sense as father of nation .

  27. I Think govt should frist know why, this truck driver are entering the country Uganda will they are having cvid19 because other president are not implementing what other president are doing and it’s better before they enter they should frist be tested from there country because the time will reach , you will hear that testing materials have used up because the country will know how much you have used

  28. Johnbosco nkwasie amooti

    This is uganda

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