Kiryadongo records first COVID-19 death, as cases soar in Kampala

UGANDA  | HEALTH  | COVID-19

A 50-year-old male from Kiryandongo district has died of COVID-19, the Ministry of health has said. The deceased now becomes the 13th person to succumb to the viral disease in Uganda. 

The Ministry says that the deceased died after presenting with COVID like signs and symptoms. This is also the third COVID-19 case to be recorded in the district. 

Additionally, the 49 new cases, including the deceased, were confirmed from 3,768 samples tested on August 14. This is the highest number of cases so far recorded this week and Kampala district takes the lions share. 

Out of the 49 cases, 22 were got from samples taken from residents of Kampala metropolitan area. Of the 22, 17 cases are alerts/ community cases and five are contacts of previously confirmed cases. 

Among the other remaining alerts (community cases), two are from Wakiso, 14 from Namisindwa, one Kiryandongo, two from Mbarara and Lamwo. Four returnees also tested positive, including one from USA and three from Saudi Arabia. 

The other recorded positive cases include two truck drivers who arrived from Kenya via Malaba point of entry and one contact from Bushenyi district. 

According to the Ministry of Health, 19 foreign truck drivers tested positive for COVID-19 at the border points of entry and their entry into the country was not permitted. 

Uganda's total case tally now stands at 1,434, out of which 1,142 have recovered.