Uganda’s Coronavirus cases have risen to 260 after 12 new cases were registered on Monday.
“Today, May ,18, 2020, 12 new Covid-19 cases confirmed from 1743 samples of truck drivers. All the new cases are Ugandans,” the Ministry of Health said in a tweet.
According to the Ministry, 32 foreign truck drivers who tested positive for the virus were turned back to their respective countries.
President Museveni on Monday said the new system of allowing only truck drivers who test negative into Uganda will be of great use to the country.
“Once we get more cartridges, we can quickly deploy GeneXpert machines at other borders. The second alternative is testing drivers from the point of origin so as not to stop at border.”
The GeneXpert machines have in the past been used for TB testing but due to lack of cartridges, they had not been used for testing Coronavirus and according to Museveni, these(cartridges) will soon be got and testing at all borders commences.
Museveni noted that government can also employ a tactic of allowing trucks move in a convoy and are escorted to their destinations within Uganda.
He however insisted that it is suicidal to stop cargo trucks from entering the country because they transport essential cargo.
“Many Ugandans wanted to block out all the lorry cargo drivers however as I told you, that would have been suicidal, war is not fought only by anger but also by wisdom. The debate should not be on how these cargo drivers enter and exist, it should be on how these cargo drivers should be managed,”Museveni noted.
Uganda’s confirmed coronavirus cases are now at 260 whereas the recoveries are at 63.
