The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said considering that a number of people picked from the community have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID -19), they have resolved that samples be collected from suspects wherever they are.
Delivering an update on the COVID -19 situation in the country this morning, the Health Minister said the ministry has decided to decentralize the COVID -19 care.
She said while hospitals in the districts will be able to draw samples, still tests will be conducted at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) before taking them back to the districts in not more than 48 hours.
Those suspected in the community she said will be quarantined at their homes as they await results from UVRI or to be cleared after completing their 14 days of quarantine.
She said while Uganda has not yet received any death related to COVID-19 and not any severe case, they have already set aside beds in hospitals to cater for possible rise in numbers.
At Mulago Specialised National Referral hospital, 900 isolation beds have been set aside, 30 isolation beds at each of the 16 regional referral hospitals, 20 beds at each of the 50 general hospitals in addition to 5 beds at 164 health center IVs across the countries.
Different from before where they have been testing only those that present with symptoms of the disease even when they are in quarantine, she said all of the over 1000 currently in institutional quarantine will be tested.
The Ministry also predicted that If President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had not issued a directive for a lockdown on non-food business and transport, Uganda would have more registered cases by April 31.
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