COVID-19: Mulago stops collecting samples

MULAGO HOSPITAL|COVID-19|HEALTH

Mulago Hospital will no longer collect samples for coronavirus testing, the health ministry has said.

"Mulago Hospital has been closed as a COVID-19 sample collection site for all individuals. It will only remain an isolation and COVID-19 treatment unit for all patients who have been confirmed to have COVID-19," the health ministry said through its official twitter account.

The ministry, however, clarified that other sections of the hospital, especially upper Mulago will remain open to the public to ensure diagnosis and treatment of other medical conditions. Mulago, according to the health ministry's spokesperson, Emmanuel Ainebyoona, has been a sample collection centre, which samples would then be taken to the accredited testing centres such as Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and Makerere University School of Public Health laboratories.

On Monday, the health ministry unveiled nine other sample collection sites in Kampala and Wakiso districts. They include Kiswa Health Centre IV, Kisenyi Health Centre IV, Kibuli Hospital, Kawaala Health Centre IV, Kitebi Health Centre IV, Nsambya Hospital, Kiira Health Centre IV, Kasangati Health Centre IV and International Hospital Kampala.

Meanwhile, Uganda yesterday recorded 98 new cases of coronavirus and one death from the 4,232 samples tested on August 25.

The death is of a 27-year-old male and resident of Mengo, Rubaga division in Kampala. This brings the cumulative total of deaths in Uganda to 26, of these 21 are in Kampala. Regarding the 98 cases, 63 are of alerts, 29 are of contacts of previously confirmed cases, three are truck drivers, two are returnees while one is a health worker.

Among the contacts and alerts, 65 are from Kampala, eight are from Moroto, six from Wakiso, four from Mbale, three from Gulu, two from Adjumani while Arua, Pader, Tororo and Kotido recorded one case each. The three truck drivers tested positive at Malaba and Mpondwe border points. Regarding the returnees, two are from South Sudan while one is from South Africa.

The health ministry also said three foreign truck drivers (two Kenyans and one Tanzanian) tested positive for the coronavirus and were denied entry into the country. Uganda's cumulative case tally is now 2,524 cases, of which 1,268 have recovered while 1,256 are still active. Coronavirus cases continue to increase globally and as of today, 24.09m cases have been registered worldwide. Of these, 16.6m have recovered while 824,194 have died.

The US is leading with 5.9 million cases, followed by Brazil with 3.6 million and India with 3.2 million. According to CDC Africa, by yesterday, Africa had recorded 1.2 million cases of the coronavirus, 931,057 recoveries and 28,276 deaths.  In East Africa, Kenya is leading with 32,803 cases followed by Rwanda with 3,537 and Uganda with 2,524 cases.