Uganda: 2 New COVID-19 Cases Recorded as Masindi Man Tests Positive in Rapid Assessment Survey

The Ministry of Health has confirmed 2 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of infections in Uganda to 85.

One of the cases was confirmed by the rapid assessment survey team which was flagged off by Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng this week.

The Ministry of Health is conducting a rapid assessment survey among high risk groups to establish community transmission.

“The confirmed cases are: a 35-year-old Kenyan male truck driver who arrived via Busia border. Our tracking system shows that he returned from Kenya,” the Health Ministry announced on Saturday morning.

The second case is a Ugandan male from Masindi district who was confirmed by a rapid assessment survey.

This has raised fears of COVID-19 prevalence in some areas of Uganda which is still under a lockdown till May 5.

Results from this survey will inform the phased lifting of the lockdown.

This survey will evaluate if there is community transmission of COVID-19 in Uganda and establish its extent. 

All samples from the survey are tested at Makerere University laboratory.

Meanwhile, out of 2,454 samples tested at Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), all 399 samples from the community tested negative for COVID-19.

Todate, 27 truck drivers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Uganda.

Of these, 17 have returned to their respective countries while 10 are admitted at different hospitals.

Uganda has so far discharged 52 COVID-19 patients who have fully recovered from the disease.

The East African country has not registered any COVID-19 related deaths.