Covid-19 cases surge, positivity rate hits 4.8%

By Henry Mugenyi

The ministry of Health has raised concerns over the recent surge of Covid-19 in the country with a weekly record of about 600 cases.

Health experts and behavioural scientists say the decline in infections and deaths in the country made people relax on vaccination and observation of standard operating procedures, thus leading to a low uptake of Covid-19 vaccines and booster doses.

According to the director of Public Health at the ministry of Health, Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, Covid-19 cases have averaged 600 per week in the last two weeks.

"I think we are on the foot of another wave starting because we moved from an average of having 2-3 cases a day to 600 cases a week. Cases around the neighbouring countries have been raising and we have been observing and when the other wave ended, we had some few cases left behind," Dr. Kyabayinze said.

He said revolving information and misconceptions about Covid-19 vaccination in the country could have confused the population.

"People believed a lie that there was no more Covid-19 and this perception has really done more harm than good," he said.

To date, the country has a positivity rate of 4.8% with a total of 21,634,800 doses administered.

Dr. Kyabayinze noted that the number of people that are due for booster doses are many but with a low turn up at vaccination centers.

Results of COVID-19 tests done on 17 June 2022 confirm 111 new cases. As of June 17, the cumulative confirmed cases are 166,920.