Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has gone into self-isolation after some of his contacts tested positive for COVID-19. He becomes the first senior government official to be isolated since the first cases of coronavirus disease was recorded in Uganda in March.
Rugunda who announced his decision through his Twitter handle @RuhakanaR said that although his results were negative, he needs to isolate, as a recommended health measure.
Rugunda, one of many ministers that were tested for COVID-19 yesterday is also the head of the COVID-19 government task force.
"Friends, I have gone into self-isolation after some of my contacts tested positive for #COVID19. My own test result is negative, however, I have taken this decision as a health recommended measure. #StaySafeUG," Rugunda posted on the handle.
The prime minister's results were among the 2,267 samples that were tested yesterday for the disease at the Uganda Virus Research Institute and the Central Public Health Laboratory.
From the results that were released today morning, 35 new positive cases were confirmed - raising the country's total to 557. 15 of the cases were from truck drivers while 20 cases were from alerts and contacts to truck drivers or people who have tested positive for the disease.
20 of the cases were from alerts and contacts that were picked from the community in the areas (7 from Kampala, 5 from Amuru, 3 from Mayuge, 2 from Kyotera, 1 from Wakiso, 1 from Dokolo and 1 from Amolatar) while 15 were from truck drivers who were tested from Elegu border post, Busia, in Lia, Malaba and the Oraba. The 31 foreign truck drivers who tested positive were sent back to their countries of origin.
This week alone, over 140 confirmed cases have been recorded in the country. Over half of these cases were reported from alerts and contacts within communities. Dr Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary ministry Health says the rising cases among the community is worrying.
Uganda's number of confirmed cases has now surpassed Rwanda which has 410 and Tanzania with 509. Kenya and South Sudan have the highest number of confirmed cases in the region each with 2,340 and 994 respectively. Atwine says that the country is yet to face the worst.
"The rest of the world has been reporting high numbers as we were preparing for the worst. With the numbers that we are now getting, the epidemic has just hit Uganda. We are likely to see much bigger numbers," Atwine said.
According to health regulations, the prime minister will self-isolate for 14-days. During those 14 days, Health ministry officials are supposed to check on him once a day and take his vitals. If he does not develop any COVID-19 related symptoms, he will be retested after the 14-days and given an isolation permit which confirms that he has tested negative for the disease.
Atwine says that the decision to test ministers was made after they were identified as a high-risk group.
"Ministers have been moving around meeting very many people. For this reason, they need to be tested. And we have not done this for only ministers but also the ministry of Health staff and journalists who meet so many people," Atwine said.
Rugunda has in recent weeks held meetings with various teams that were donating to the national COVID-19 task force as well as teams that were distributing food in some areas of Kampala. He was also among the key government officials that were part of the presidential briefings on coronavirus disease.
Atwine, however, refuted claims that some ministers might have tested positive for the disease, "I have not heard of anything of the sort. Have you?" Atwine asked.
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