COVID-19 Updates

Brussels, Belgium | XINHUA | The head of the European health advisory body warned on Wednesday that constant surges and decreases of COVID-19 cases will continue until a vaccine is available. Andrea Ammon, director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, said that the increase in cases in …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has been accredited by the World Health Organization-WHO as one of the COVID-19 reference laboratories in Africa. The laboratory which is spearheading COVID-19 testing in the country is one of eight laboratories that were accredited as reference laboratories …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Thousands of coronavirus recovered patients discharged from hospitals are not being followed up by the Ministry of Health , eliciting fears that many could be silently battling COVID-19 health after-effects. According to several health officials, there is no mechanism to follow up. This leaves …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Mandela National Stadium isn’t ready to receive COVID-19 patients due to lack of beds and mattresses. According to the Ministry of Health ministry, the sports facility that has the capacity to host 1,200 beds is not ready for use as a treatment site as had …

Arua, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | There is anxiety among health and local officials in Arua district, following reports that the COVID-19 treatment facility has run out of space. Newly tested positive cases have now been left in their communities, and not yet linked to care.  This is according to a …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Patients with severe forms of COVID-19 have higher chances of surviving if given fixed doses of hydrocortisone. This is according to findings of a new study carried out by the Imperial College of London. The findings which were released today and published in the journal …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | The decision by Ministry of Health to start charging for COVID-19 tests will hit truck drivers hard, their leaders has said. The leadership of the Regional Lorry Drivers and Transporters Association-RLDTA has called the decision ‘inhumane’, and said it is likely to cause more harm than …

    Washington, US | XINHUA | About 2 million Americans could die in an attempt to try to achieve so-called herd immunity in the country, a U.S. medical expert said on Monday. “If we’re waiting until 60 percent to 80 percent of people have it, we’re talking about 200 …

Geneva, Switzerland | XINHUA | The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to see children returning to school and people returning to the workplace, but at the same time, no country can just pretend the pandemic is over, the head of the WHO said Monday. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told …

Nairobi, Kenya | XINHUA | Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday directed the Ministry of Health to publish details of all procurements related to COVID-19, particularly those undertaken by the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) amid allegations of corruption. Kenyatta said the publication of procurement information including winners of tenders …