Covid-19 case confirmed in Entebbe as numbers reach 705

The Ministry of Health has announced nine (9) new cases of COVID-19 pushing the national tally of confirmed cases to 705.

According to a statement from Dr. Henry Mwebesa, who is the Director-General Health Services at the Ministry of Health, the nine cases were confirmed from 2,677 samples tested on June 14, 2020.

"Four new cases were among 1,813 samples tested from Points of Entry while five new cases were among 864 samples of alerts and contacts. All confirmed cases Ugandans," Dr. Mwebesa said in a statement.

The five confirmed cases from alerts and contacts to previously confirmed cases were confirmed from Tororo (2), and the Ministry of Health said that these were under quarantine at the time of testing.

Others where confirmed Amuru (1), Kyotera (1), and 1 from Entebbe Districts.

Dr. Mwebesa said that two of the four cases confirmed from points of entry, whereof truck drivers who arrived from South Sudan via Elegu while the other two arrived from Kenya via Malaba.

"Additionally, thirty-seven foreign truck drivers (32 Kenyans, 1 Tanzanian, 3 South Sudanese and 1 Eritrean) tested positive for COVID-19 and were handed over to their respective country of origin," Dr. Mwebesa added.

No Covid-19 related deaths so far

On Saturday 13th, June 2020, a Kenyan truck driver who was sleeping on his mat under his truck in Busia was found dead, driving speculation among the public that he could have died from the Coronavirus.

Dr. Mwebesa however said that the Ministry of Health conducted an investigation and took his samples again. The sample tested negative for the virus.

"A sample was taken off his remains by the surveillance team for a re-test and found it negative for COVID-19. The Ministry would like to reiterate that to date, Uganda has not registered any COVID-19 related death," Dr. Mwebesa said.

At least 299 patients have so far been discharged after treatment and recovering from COVID-19.