By Spy Uganda
The Kenyan government has issued a directive requiring all truck drivers to test for Coronavirus (COVID-19) before attempting to drive any truck out Kenya to Uganda.
This comes after the government of Uganda issued new regulations requiring all foreign truck drivers to stop at border points such their cargo can be driven inland by Ugandan drivers, as a way of preventing the spread of Coronavirus from truck drivers to other Ugandans.
As a result of the trend in the new infections, Kenya has since ordered targeted mass testing of truck drivers after it emerged that the East African nation has been exporting COVID-1919 to neighbouring countries.Â
This comes as the government on Sunday confirmed 12 new cases of Coronavirus, bringing the total number of those who have tested positive to 355.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman said the decision to test transit cargo drivers was arrived at after a section of Kenyan drivers were confirmed positive.
Last week, five Kenyan drivers tested positive in Uganda; three entered the country through Malaba and two through the Busia border point.
Uganda had initially opted to keep the numbers of the positive tests from neighbouring countries off its tally and deport the patients but was forced to backtrack and include them and provide treatment locally in accordance with World Health Organisation guidelines.Â
The guidelines require that positive cases be treated in the country where they are identified and included in that country’s tally.Â
However, it should be noted the Ministry of Health last week deported some of the COVID-19 cases to their respective countries.
As a result of the COVID-19 cases among truck drivers, the number of confirmed infections Uganda has since rise from 75 to 79, according to the Ministry of Health.
