COVID-19: Health workers decry laxity

COVID-19|

Ugandans that are non-compliant with the health protocols of guarding against COVID-19 are exposing themselves to a bigger risk, medics have warned.

In the coming few months, medics expect that there are going to be many community infections, which will overwhelm the health system and workers.

Health experts yesterday predicted that there will come a time when thousands of people will be admitted to hospitals and, given the large numbers, they may not have the capacity to attend to all cases.

"I do not know why some Ugandans are taking COVID-19 casually. Go to town right now and see how many people are walking around in crowds without face masks. I want to advise Ugandans that COVID-19 is real and it kills," Dr Baterana Byarugaba, the Mulago Hospital executive director, warned.

Byarugaba, who spoke to New Vision in a telephone interview yesterday, said the danger that Uganda currently faces is that most COVID-19 patients are referred to the hospital late and so they die.

Uganda registered 16 new COVID-19 cases from samples that were tested on Monday. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 1,313. Uganda has so far registered 1,138 recoveries and nine deaths.

The confirmed cases, according to the health ministry's daily update, include 12 alerts, eight of whom are from Namisindwa, three from Tororo, and one from Kampala metropolitan area.

Two people who tested positive were contacts to previously confirmed cases in Adjumani district, while one was a truck driver who arrived from South Sudan via Elegu point of entry.

There was also one returnee from Kenya, who tested positive and was under quarantine at the time of test.

Medics advise that upon feeling signs and symptoms similar to COVID-19, one should separate themselves from others and stay home, then call the health ministry's toll-free line (0800-100-066), district health officer or village health teams for help.

According to the health ministry, signs and symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, running nose (flu), cough, general weakness, and difficulty in breathing if the patient develops pneumonia.

People who step out of their homes are advised to wear face masks at all times, except when eating or drinking, and to observe a two-metre social distance.

By yesterday afternoon, the world had recorded over 20.3 million COVID-19 cases, of which 740,196 had died.