Covid-19: Dead body from Dubai allowed into country;crew who picked it quarantined

A body that was aboard a cargo plane from Dubai has been allowed into the country via  Entebbe Airport  and those who came to  pick it forcefully quarantined for 14 days.

The Nile Post understands that a combined crew of Police, officials from the Ministry of Health yesterday intercepted a body belonging to a one Daniel Sebuliba , a Male Ugandan aged 30 years.

The body was aboard a cargo aircraft from Dubai and was due for burial in Mukono with the help of A-Plus funeral services.

The A-Plus funeral services crew started loading the body in their hearse, but they would later be stopped for investigation.

On asking for the death certificate of the person in the casket, it was found out that their death was a result of Covid-19.

“Our Taskforce together with the team from Ministry of Health intercepted a body brought in the Country as Cargo from Dubai picked from the airport by APlus. We have quarantined all APlus crew at least for 14 days at our Isolation Centre. The death certificate relates to Covid-19. Please let's continue to educate our masses on the danger and seriousness of this pandemic,” a statement from an official in the Ministry reads in part.

Nile Post contacted A-Plus funeral services and who did not deny the incident but claimed the story is different.

"The late wasn't a Covid-19 case. He was living in Qatar and collapsed and fell in his bathroom (usual common bathroom accidents), unfortunately, he didn't make it," a statement from A Plus reads in part.

Nile Post also understands that the deceased has already been buried in Kayunga by a team of experts from the  Red Cross.

"The burial was managed by our safe and dignified burial team. With the current Covid-19 situation, the government considered him to be buried like this(by Red Cross team) to prevent the family members from being exposed," Aplus says in the statement.

"We all know that the process of moving a dead body that came thru from a high-risk country and Transit center can easily become a point of infection & transfer of the Coronavirus and therefore, to avoid exposing the family, Govt of Uganda assigned Uganda Red Cross this role thru the Ministry Of Health," the statement continues.

CAA speaks out

The Civil Aviation Authority has however in a statement said the body was received and went through normal standard operating procedures.

" Human remains were formally received through Entebbe International Airport on Sunday, April 19, 2020 aboard Qatar Airways from Doha. There wasn’t any disguise. The Standard Operating Procedures for receiving human remains were observed in the presence of officials from the Uganda Red Cross Society, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health," a statement from the Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson, Vianney Luggya said.

A statement by the Uganda Red Cross Society confirmed that standard operating procedures were followed during the burial.

“The Red Cross buried someone (Daniel Sebuliba , Male 30 years) in Kayunga. The burial was managed by our Safe and Dignified Burial team. The late wasn't a Covid-19 case. He was living in Qatar and collapsed n fell in his bathroom (usual common bathroom accidents), unfortunately he didnt make it.

The humanitarian body said that despite the death not being related to the deadly virus, they had to go through a certain procedure to avoid taking any chances.

“The process of moving a dead body that came through from a high risk country transit centre can easily become a point of infection and transfer of the Corona virus and therefore, to avoid exposing the family, government  of Uganda assigned Uganda Red Cross this role through  the Ministry of  Health and the body was buried in Kayunga.”

“ All family members who were in contact with the late were also handed over to the District Health team for examination just to rule out any anomalies.”

On Sunday President Museveni warned that no one is allowed to bring dead bodies with in the country, more so when they have died of Covid-19 related cases

“Let no one bring any bodies of people that have died of Covid-19 to Uganda. Whoever dies of Covid-19 outside Uganda should be buried there, you can also choose to cremate them, but let no one bring the bodies here. Likewise, Ugandans who die as a result of coronavirus will be buried by the state with proper health precautions and procedure,” he said.