KAMPALA — A Tanzanian truck driver has tested positive for coronavirus in Uganda, the ministry of Heath has clarified, regretting the earlier misinformation that the patient was from the Ugandan community.
Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health Dr Henry Mwebesa said his surveillance teams with a backup of security forces are searching for the 34 year old Tanzanian truck driver to return him home for treatment.
“The new case is a 34 year old Tanzanian truck driver from Dar Es Salaam who arrived at Mutukula border post yesterday [Thursday] April 16 2020,” Dr. Mwebesa wrote adding that “he said the case didn’t present any signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19”.
Ministry of Health says the driver will be repatriated to Tanzania for treatment, meaning, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Uganda remain at 55.
The samples taken betweenThursday and Friday are 1120 and of those 744 are cargo drivers who entered Uganda from different border points.
Dr. Mwebesa said all tested negative
This is the second truck driver to test positive for coronavirus in Uganda.
Uganda on Thursday discharged eight more patients who have recovered from COVID-19 after treatment, bringing the count in the country to 20.
Seven patients were discharged from Mulago National Referral Hospital in the capital Kampala and one from Hoima Regional Referral Hospital in the western part of the country.
“All the discharged patients tested negative twice for COVID-19. We are now remaining with 35 active cases from the confirmed 55 cases in the country,” the Ministry said in a statement.
Uganda started discharging patients who recovered from the novel coronavirus on last week Saturday with three patients from Entebbe Referral Hospital, about 40 km south of the capital.
Uganda has registered 55 confirmed cases and is currently under a three-week extended nationwide lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of the virus
