Uganda has registered another coronavirus death, bringing the total number of people who have succumbed to the same pandemic to 16.
At the same time, the Health Ministry announced 53 new infections, driving the cumulative figure of infected persons to 1,656.
According to the ministry report, 35 new cases are from alerts while 18 are contacts of previously confirmed cases.
Of the 53 new cases, the highest number – 33 (including 28 alerts and five contacts) – was recorded in Kampala.
The ministry also said the dead person, aged 60, was first admitted at a private facility in Mbale before presenting signs and symptoms of COVID-19. He was then transferred to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.
These come at a time when President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni while addressing NRM National Executive Committee (NEC) members yesterday at State House promised to make his 18th Presidential Address on COVID-19 next week.
In his previous addresses Museveni, eased the lockdown and extended the curfew to start at 9pm and end at 5:30am.
He also allowed boda boda riders to start carrying passengers provided the riders wear face masks and helmets.
He said that boda boda operators would be required to keep a record of passengers they transport to enable health workers trace them in case a rider tested positive for COVID-19.
He, however, cautioned them to not operate beyond 6pm because they were being used by criminals.
Mr Museveni also allowed salons to start operating with immediate effect.
“We’re going to open the salons provided they provide face shields for their staff, check temperature of clients, observe social distancing, no air conditioning and partitioning of parts of the salon in the cities, plus handwashing,” he said.
He also allowed only 110 arcardes which were found to be compliant to open out of 170 that had not implemented Ministry of Health SOPs.
However, according to the Cabinet Minister of Kampala Capital City Betty Amongi, while addressing the media previously at Uganda Media Centre, she revealed that all the guidelines that were to be followed ever since the lockdown was eased, have not been followed a reason for the rapid transmission of the deadly Coronavirus with in Kampala.
“Ever since president eased lockdown, the number of infections have increased, and we have so far got two cases of COVID-19 from the arcardes which were permitted to operate under guidelines meaning they have not carefully observed SOPs.” Amongi said.
