COVID-19 Updates

Geneva, Switzerland | THE INDEPENDENT | WHO has recommended two new drugs for COVID-19, providing yet more options for treating the disease. The extent to which these medicines will save lives depends on how widely available and affordable they will be. The first drug, baricitinib, is strongly recommended for patients …

Brazzaville, Congo | Xinhua | After a six-week surge, Africa’s fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic driven primarily by the Omicron variant, is flattening, marking the shortest-lived surge to date in the continent where cumulative cases have now exceeded 10 million, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. Weekly cases having …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 500,000 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses have gone to waste following the failure by the Ministry of Health to use them within thirty days after being removed from the required cold chain of -80 degrees to remain potent. Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, the Incident Commander …

Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday cautioned and urged for preparedness against concurrent outbreaks of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases during the coming spring. Dr. Maria van Kerkhove from the WHO’s Health Emergencies Program, said at a press briefing that this could happen as population …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health will embark on a three-day vaccination campaign against polio among children aged five years and below, starting this Thursday. This campaign that targets 8.7 million children aims to also reach children that have missed routine immunization. By the end of August, …

Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday that current COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated if they are to provide continued protection against emerging variants, including Omicron. WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC), a group of 18 experts, said that although current …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Parliament’s Health Committee is demanding accountability for the Covid-19 vaccine funds allocated to the National Medical Stores-NMS in the last two financial years. NMS officials led by Apollo Newton Mwesigye, the NMS Board Secretary, Paul Okware, the Chief Operations Officer, and Lillian Audo, on …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Directorate of Traffic Police has announced plans to mount checkpoints to arrest drivers and conductors without COVID-19 vaccination cards. Without mentioning the exact date, the Traffic Police Spokesperson, Faridah Nampiima told journalists on Monday they will soon start checking drivers and their conductors for …

Malaba, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda has agreed to conduct free COVID-19 rapid tests at the border posts of Busia and Malaba for seven days to clear the pileup of trucks at the border posts. This follows the joint multi-sectoral meeting of Ministers responsible for East African Community Affairs, Health …

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The management of Pakwelo Primary School in Pece-Laroo division in Gulu city blocked unvaccinated parents and teachers from accessing the school premises on Monday. Dozens of parents turned up at the school to register their children and clear school dues but were turned away for …