COVID-19: Lira no longer sends samples for testing

COVID-19 |

Lira district assistant health officer, Edmond Aceka has said Lira regional referral hospital COVID-19 treatment centre has only three patients undergoing treatment but there is fear that a big number of people could be unknowingly carrying the disease within the community.

He said the low number of people admitted was because the district is no longer taking samples for testing since 68 samples that were taken weeks ago were not worked on.

"The number could be high but as of now, we are not taking samples for testing because 68 samples that we took were not worked on," Aceka said.

Meanwhile, Lira regional referral hospital director, Dr. Stephen Obbo has said the hospital has so far treated 344 patients and four are undergoing home-based care.

He said because testing kits for COVID-19 are very expensive, testing is not going on and the district is concentrating on people with symptoms.

He said the treatment centre has a 12-bed intensive care unit equipped with oxygen plants. He added that a good number of hospital staff are undergoing training in preparation for what lays ahead.

Obbo expressed fear that in near future, there will be a sharp surge in the number of people contracting and possibly dying of COVID-19 because people have relaxed and have since failed to adhere to the guidelines given by the ministry of health.

"Everywhere people are not wearing on face masks and are not using sanitizers, yet they are always crowding and following politicians during the campaigns.

People should style up and start wearing masks, use sanitizers and keep social distance," Obbo said.

He noted that campaigns coupled with the festive season will worsen the situation.