ACENG ON OMICRON: Variant not lethal among vaccinated, be calm

Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng has called for calm among Ugandans, saying the new Omicron COVID-19 variant is “not lethal”, among vaccinated people.

Uganda has on Tuesday confirmed its first seven cases of the Omicron variant. The health ministry said that cases were identified in travellers from Nigeria (5) and South Africa (2).

Speaking to journalists for the first time since this confirmation, Aceng said that the patients have been isolated, “but there is nothing to fear.”

“They are not severely ill, so there is nothing to worry about. They have been isolated,” Aceng said.

Aceng said that it is likely that the variant had already spread across the world without being identified, because so far 38 countries across the globe have already reported Omicron cases.

“This means that the variant is highly transmissible. However, even from South Africa (where it was first identified) reports are that infections do not seem to severe. It is mostly mild infections and among the vaccinated people, it is not too much,” Aceng said.

Aceng said that, however, the variant could affect the unvaccinated people more, and used this chance to urge Ugandans to go get vaccinated.

“The vaccines are now available, I want to call for calm from the population, and I want to urge you to go get vaccinated,” Aceng added.

According to the Health Ministry, at least 7 million people have so far been vaccinated.

Uganda is set to fully reopen its economy in January 2022, according to President Museveni.