PICTORIAL: How Covid-19 is taking toll on life in Kampala

All photos by Stuart Tibaweswa

Following the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in the country, life in Kampala has changed greatly ranging from work and how people relate with others.

Last week, President Museveni announced the extension of the lockdown by three more weeks to help combat the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

“The government has decided to keep the stay home decision for another 21 days starting tomorrow April 15 tomorrow to May 05, 2020. This is meant to allow us study the situation longer. All previous measures still stand,” Museveni said as he addressed the nation.

He said despite the country having done well in combating the virus, there was need to continue with the measures.

“It is safer to go another 21 days than to stop prematurely. If there is anything it will come up during these 21 days. If it does not come up, we will say we tried our best. The 54 found positive might not be the only ones. The way they were found was tedious, so the lockdown extension is justified so we can find more and treat them.”

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 Health Minister, Dr.Jane Ruth Aceng said the lockdown has helped reduce pressure on the country’s health system.

“The lockdown reduced pressure on the surveillance system and the health system by keeping the numbers low because the country must maintain the low numbers and low rates of infection,” Minister Aceng said during her address to the nation on Saturday.

Uganda currently has 55 confirmed cases and 28 recoveries but late last month, the World Health Organisation in its situation report predicted that going by the then trend, Uganda would by April 15 have 1051 confirmed coronavirus cases.

A number of many other measures have been put in place to help combat the spread of the deadly virus but these have also had a toll on how people especially in Kampala live and go about their day today business.