KAMPALA —The Ministry of Health late on Monday March 30 confirmed no new cases of Coronavirus infections in Uganda after a total of 82 samples studied at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe returned negative.
Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said as many as 1,271 samples have since been tested for the deadly virus.
Only 33 of these have returned positive, and the fact of returning no new cases on Monday was greeted with a big sigh of relief so far.
The minister in its statement said that a sample from a suspected case of coronavirus in Budaka district in eastern Uganda that came through an alert on social media has been sent to UVRI for testing.
It is understood the individual has been isolated, pending the results.
President Museveni who issued tough sanctions to prevent the spread of the virus started off his address by talking about the way COVID-19 is spread.
He said the virus spreads by sometimes careless and inconsiderate people.
“The first mode of transmission is when a sick person sneezes or coughs near you, emitting moisture,’ the President.
The president said the second way of transmission is when an infected individual pollutes surfaces and you touch the same surface and then to your soft openings on the face.
The virus cannot go through normal intact skin of the body, clarified the President.
He added that the virus can attack people with other health complications such as HIV, cancer.
President Museveni concluded his speech by reminding Ugandans to remember to wash their hands with soap and water, avoid touching soft openings on their faces as well as heed all the announced measures to avoid contracting the deadly disease.
“The crucial point is the stopping of the epidemic. I do not want us to lose millions of our vulnerable people to this wholly avoidable epidemic just on account of indiscipline. What is the indiscipline?”
He then read out a biblical extraction from the Book of Isaiah 26:20 shared to him recently by a sheikh.
“Go home my people and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while until the lord’s anger has passed,” reads the verse.
