The medical fraternity is mourning the passing on of senior consultant neurosurgeon, Dr. John Baptist Nsubuga Mukasa, who has succumbed to COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon.

Mukasa, who worked at Mulago and at Victoria Medical Centre, has been one of the few consultant neurosurgeons in the country. By 2019, he was among the only four neurosurgeons Uganda had. The others are; Dr. Michael Muhumuza, Dr. Hussein Ssenyonjo and Dr. Joel Kiryabwire.

Mukasa has participated in a number of neurosurgery camps organised between Duke University in the US and Mulago Hospital over the years, where they train staff and students about how to operate on patients with head injuries.

COVID-19 situation

Despite the COVID-19 deaths being registered, several Ugandans are recovering from the virus. A total of 1,373 people have recovered from COVID-19 in the past three consecutive days, data from the health ministry shows.

Records released today (June 29) show that 522 patients have recovered. This is in addition to 512 recoveries reported yesterday and 339 recoveries reported on Sunday. As of today, the cumulative total recoveries are 52,382 patients.

“Results of COVID-19 tests done on June 27, 2021 confirm 345 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are 79,434,” according to a statement from the health ministry today.

A total of 33 new deaths were recorded, bringing the total number of deaths to 989, ever since the pandemic broke out in March 2020.

A total of 854,443 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far. According to President Yoweri Museveni, the ultimate solution to COVID-19 is vaccination and Uganda needs to vaccinate at least 4.8 million people before COVID-19 measures can be relaxed.