KAMPALA – The Ministry of Health has confirmed 318 cases from samples tested on August 21, 2020 rising the cumulative number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 to 2,166.
Addressing the media on Saturday, the Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said this is the highest number of cases confirmed in a single day in Uganda.
Aceng said that all cases are mild.154 cases were registered at Amuru Prisons including inmates and one prison staff.
For the alerts and contacts, Kampala has registered 65 cases, Kiryandongo 14 cases, Gulu 9 cases, Mbarara 9 cases, Kitgum 8 cases, Arua 8 cases, Wakiso 7 cases, Mbale 4 cases, Buikwe 4 cases, Masaka 2 cases and 6 cases from Bugiri, Luweero, Junja,Manafwa, Masindi and Mityana with one case each.
Minister Aceng has revealed that 20 health workers have tested positive for COVID-19 with 9 from Kitgum, 6 from Kampala, 2 from Arua, 1 from Adjumani, 1 from Kiryandongo and 1 from Luweero.
She said 8 truck drivers from different border entries tested positive for COVID-19.
Aceng further announced one COVID-19 death bringing the total deaths to 20.
“We also recorded one (1) COVID-19 death, a 49 year old male from Mbale District, bringing the total cumulative COVID-19 deaths to 20,” she said.
Currently, Minister Aceng has said Kampala Metropolitan Area has the highest numbers of community transmission.
“A cumulative total of 540 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Kampala since the 23rd March. Of these, 342 cases were registered within the last one week, from Augus 15 to August 21, 2020 including 5 COVID-19 deaths,” she said.
She added: “Several institutions including; Malaysia Furnishing, Royal Pharma, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, IGG,KCCA, Toyota, NRM Secretariat, Eagle Holdings,Megha Industries, media houses (New Vision, NBS,NTV,BBS) and other private hospitals have reported clusters. This highlights the need to ensure that workplaces strictly observe the Standard Operating Procedures and Infection, Prevention and Control measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.”
Aceng revealed that last week, one of the prisoners at Amuru prisons presented with COVID-19 like signs and symptoms where a total of 20 contacts were listed of which one turned positive for COVID-19.
She said the confirmed inmate was admitted at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and has since recovered and been discharged.
The Ministry working with Uganda Prisons Services has since relocated all the confirmed 152 inmates to Gulu Central Prison which is acting as an auxiliary isolation facility.
“The prison staff is admitted in Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.Amuru Prison is a holding prison where new prisoners are admitted before being transferred to the regular prison facility,” said Aceng.
The minister further noted that due to this fact, it is possible that a prisoner from Amuru community could have been taken to the prison with infection while asymptomatic.
“In any case, Amuru Districts is one of the hotspot districts with a high level of community transmission,” she said.
