Uganda hunts for 2 COVID-19 positive truck drivers

Authorities in Uganda are hunting for two truck drivers after three cases of COVID-19 imported from Kenya and Tanzania were confirmed.

According to the Ministry of Health, two of the new cases are of a Kenyan and Burundian truck drivers who arrived from Kenya via Malaba. The third case is of a Ugandan who entered Uganda from Tanzania using the porous border through Rakai district.

"Two out of 1,922 samples were of truck drivers: 1 Kenyan and 1 Burundian who arrived via Malaba. Efforts to track them are underway," the ministry said in a statement on Saturday night.

The results also showed: "1 out of 562 samples from the community: a 22-year-old Ugandan male from Rakai District."

"The Ugandan male entered Uganda from Bukoba, Tanzania via a porous border. He is currently staying at home with his parents and efforts to evacuate him to Masaka Referral Regional Hospital and quarantine his parents are underway," the ministry added.

The total COVID-19 confirmed cases in the country are now 88, with no single death registered so far.

The news cases come just days before President Yoweri Museveni addresses the country on plans to ease the lockdown.

In his most recent addresses, Museveni appealed to Ugandans, especially women, to keep away from truck drivers in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

The same message was echoed by the health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng.

At the common border with Kenya, Ugandan local residents have resorted to putting up temporary fences at porous points in a bid to stop people from entering the country.