BREAKING: Museveni extends Covid-19 lockdown by three more weeks

President Museveni has announced an extension of the national lockdown for a period of three more weeks.

“Government has decided to keep in place the stay-home order for another 21 days starting tomorrow  April,15  to May, 5, 2020 to allow us to study the situation longer,” Museveni said.

Museveni said despite some strides taken to combat the spread of the deadly virus and have worked, there is need to continue monitoring the same.

He said there are still a number of danger points that would see the virus spread in the country including  the porous border points with nearby countries that allow people sneak into the country, cargo trucks drivers and their crews, aircraft crew, UN workers who were allowed to continue operating and health workers treating people with Covid-19.

The president said that to avoid taking chances, there was a need to extend the lockdown so that these danger points can be taken care of.

He said that all the previous directives meant to combat the spread of the deadly virus will still be enforced.

The president said that despite the fact only 54 of all the 5664 people having tested positive, it is too early to celebrate the end of the pandemic in the country.

“These measures seem to have worked because up to yesterday we had tested 5664 persons and only 54 had been found positive but let us not be impatient. Let us wait for another 21 days and see what happens.”

Museveni explained that there are asymptomatic people who don’t show signs of the virus but noted  that during the 21 days, these could be identified.

He revealed that government is still following up on 18,000 people who entered the country between March 7 and 22 before the lockdown.

“Let us keep quiet. If there is something, it will come up and if not, we will move on but at least we will have tried. I would like to appeal to Ugandans to follow the guidelines above,” Museveni said.

“Youth stop going to trading centres to loiter. What are you doing in the trading centres? It is better for your health.”

WHO warns

The development comes barely week after the World Health Organisation warned countries around the world against rushing to lift lockdowns.

"WHO wants to see restrictions lifted as much as anyone.  At the same time, lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to a deadly resurgence. The way down can be as dangerous as the way up if not managed properly," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last week

He said that lifting of the restrictions prematurely  could lead to a resurgence which would be deadly.