COVID-19 Updates

Paris, France | AFP | A major British trial of hydroxychloroquine has found it has “no benefit” for patients hospitalised with the coronavirus, researchers said Friday, announcing they had stopped tests of the drug. “We have concluded that there is no beneficial effect of hydroxychloroquine in patients hospitalised with COVID-19,” said a statement from the …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Works and KCCA have granted a temporary waiver for public transporters plying upcountry routes who have not yet finalized registration to carry passengers for the next three days. This a day after passengers were forced to sleep at various taxi parks …

  Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & URN | There was drama and panic at City Hall today as health officials evacuated four Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA ) staff feared to have contracted COVID-19. The four KCCA staff were picked by the COVID-19 Emergency Response Team team from City …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has tasked officials from the Uganda Police to account for 37 billion recently appropriated by parliament to facilitate the force’ operations in controlling the spread of coronavirus disease. Police officials led by the Chief of Staff, Brigadier Jack Bakasumba …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda Civil Aviation Authority has tightened measures at Entebbe International Airport to combat the spread of COVID-19. Departing passengers will now be expected to arrive at the airport at least four hours before boarding to go through the health port screening procedures. They will …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is working on new assistance in Uganda to revamp COVID-19 prevention and case management in health facilities. Without mentioning specific amounts going into the training of health workers, the USAID Global Malaria Coordinator and COVID-19 task …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Inherent inequalities in accessing the internet and other tools to allow children to continue their studies threaten to deepen the global crisis in learning, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday. UNICEF data reveals that in 71 countries worldwide, less than half the …

  Different local governments should be encouraged to identify where their niche is and rally the communities to place their focus on it COMMENT | Oscord Mark Otile & Phoebe Atukunda  | The National Local Economic Development (LED) policy defines LED as a process through which Local Governments (LGs), the private …

Cité Soleil, Haiti | AFP |  On paper, Haiti so far has everything it needs to battle the coronavirus crisis — unoccupied hospital beds, medical staff and supplies. But in reality, the population’s skepticism about whether the contagion even exists has led to a quickly mounting death toll. “The illness is …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & URN | Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has gone into self isolation after some of his contacts tested positive for COVID-19. Rugunda is head of the national task force for COVID-19 and has been at the forefront on fund raising and food distribution efforts to …