Eight new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Uganda

HEALTH  VIRUS

Uganda has confirmed eight new cases of coronavirus, the health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng announced on Monday night.

In a presser telecast live on local TV, Aceng said the eight new cases bring the total number of confirmed patients to nine.

According to the minister, all the new patients are Ugandans who travelled from Dubai. Six of the eight cases were intercepted at Entebbe Airport and two were picked from the areas of self-quarantine.

"All the eight cases are Ugandan nationals who travelled back from Dubai, United Arab Emirates; two on March 20 and six on March 22 aboard the Emirates and Ethiopian Airlines flights," Aceng said.

The eight cases were confirmed after testing 35 samples. 

"Dubai was not among the high-risk countries. From what we are seeing we are not sure what was reported was the truth," the minister said.

"We are calling upon all those who travelled to Dubai recently to come up or call us for a medical check-up," the minister added.

"To date, a total of 2,661 travelers, including Ugandans identified as potential risk have been either under self-quarantine or institutional quarantine. Of these, 1,356 are under follow up; 774 of these are under institutional quarantine while 582 are under self-quarantine," the minister said.

Uganda confirmed the first case of COVID-19 on Sunday morning shortly after midnight. The Ugandan had travelled to Dubai on March 17 and returned Saturday.

By yesterday, the ministry said the patient had shown signs of improvement.

The country has since banned all public gatherings as well as schools, bars and night clubs.

Uganda has also banned all travels to the East African country and stopped all outgoing movements. 

Only emmergency landing by plane will be allowed on the Ugandan soil, President Yoweri Museveni announced on Saturday.