Thirty new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed by the Ministry of Health, pushing the country’s caseload to 646. The 30 cases were part of 3,758 samples that were tested on Sunday.
18 of the cases were from alerts and contacts of persons who have already tested positive, five were from truck drivers who entered the country through Elegu and Busia border posts, and three were of security personnel in Luweero district. Four health workers also tested positive, according to the Ministry of Health.
Majority of the community cases were from Amuru, Tororo and Buikwe districts. Meanwhile, 51 foreign truck drivers, 43 of them from Kenya, were sent back to their countries after testing positive from Sunday’s results.
The number of health workers getting infected has become an issue of concern for doctors. Dr Richard Idro, the President of the Uganda Medical Association told URN that the country needs to find a solution to stop this and soon.
“We have a few doctors. Every time one of them is exposed to any infectious disease leaves the country with a reduced workforce. More needs to be done to protect all health workers because they are at risk,” he said.
The country has been having a Personal Protective Equipment-PPE shortage which many doctors blame for the infections. According to health ministry officials, the country has made PPE orders and currently has stock to last three months. However, this is not enough for the doctors.
Dr Ataro Ayella, the vice president of UMA last week said that the distribution of PPE depends on one’s station of work.
“Health
workers in districts outside Kampala and neighbouring places have no
PPE. Those in Kampala have more PPE than their counterparts,” said Dr
Ayella.
The News Editor ,Reporter at Kagadi Kibaale community Radio
