Uganda confirms 4 new coronavirus cases

Uganda has confirmed four more Coronavirus disease cases, rising the national tally to 264.

Two of the four confirmed cases were registered from the 500 community samples, while the other two, are Ugandan truck drivers who entered the country through the Mutukula border with Tanzania.

The two community cases are a 28-year-old male from Buikwe district and a contact of a previously confirmed positive truck driver and the other is a 26-year-old male from Kyambogo, also a contact of another positive truck driver.

Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the director-general of health services at the Ministry of Health says that the drivers were under quarantine. The 36 foreign truck drivers who tested positive were sent back to their countries in line with the country's new guidelines and guidance - where only those who test negative are allowed into the country. They include 17 Tanzanian nationals, 15 Kenyans, three Eritreans and one Burundian.

On Sunday, Uganda also blocked another 32 drivers from crossing the borders after testing positive to coronavirus. Some of the drivers had entered the country through the Mutukula point of entry where the government has installed a GeneXpert machine that had the ability to produce results in 45 minutes.

According to Mwebesa, Uganda now has 80 admitted COVID-19 patients who are all in a stable condition and up to 65 people have recovered and been discharged from Hospitals.

The novel coronavirus has so far infected more than 5 million people worldwide, caused more than 325,218 deaths and thrown the futures of even the most robust economies into jeopardy.

But as countries continue to lift restrictions the World Health Organization (WHO) has adopted a resolution that calls for an independent review of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the agency’s own performance.

The agency also committed to providing strategic leadership to coordinate the global response, offering epidemiological information and analysis and keeping countries updated on ways to keep safe.

Coronavirus has “robbed us of people we love”, taken livelihoods and shaken the world’s very foundations. It has also offered a reminder of the opportunity to forge a common future. WHO will continue to work - day and night - to support the most vulnerable countries and populations.

“We’ll never, ever give up,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organisation.