By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Due to the rapid transmission of COVID-19 cases, President Yoweri Museveni last week declared today Saturday, 29th August 2020, a day of National Prayers and a Public Holiday to seek God’s intervention.
It is against that background that today the televised scientific event was held at State House Entebbe attended by the Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church Jonah Lwanga, Ugandan Anglican Bishop Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje among other religious denomination leaders.
In his speech, President Museveni among others commented about the current situation of COVID-19 and revealed that the high -19 mortality numbers in Kampala is a result of people listening to divergent/conflicting views that are misleading.
He added that the number of coronavirus cases is rising because of lack of discipline among sections of the population and warns that “if we are careless, then we shall have to organise burial teams”.
Meanwhile, Museveni advised, “We are working very hard here and of course outside [Uganda] to deal with the issue of a vaccine and even treatment – but in the meantime, avoiding is the best way.”
Despite the rise in the number of cases, President Museveni promised religious leaders that discussions are ongoing on how to handle the issue of reopening churches, schools, bars, among others.
On the same event, Minister Aceng revealed that out of the 29 deaths so far recorded since the outbreak of the pandemic in Uganda, 20 have been from Kampala which has become a COVID-19 hotspot.
These come after Uganda has confirmed 91 new coronavirus cases rising the cumulative total confirmed cases of Ugandans to 2,847 and 1,288 recoveries.
The 88 of the 91 new cases are contacts and alerts: Kampala (44), Kikuube (6), Wakiso (5), Ntoroko (3), Jinja (3), Kitgum (2), Buikwe (1), Gulu (1), Lira (1) and Mukono (1).
Meanwhile, 3 foreign truck drivers tested positive for COVID-19 at the border points of entry and their entry into the country was not permitted
In addition, Ministry tested 1,073 samples from border points of entry, 3,402 samples from contacts and alerts and 4,475 total samples tested the whole day.
The development follows the World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic on thursday where he called for global “solidarity and partnership” in fighting the raging virus the same way the wild poliovirus was eradicated in Africa.
“Globally, we need the same spirit of solidarity and partnership that are helping to end polio and sleeping sickness to end the COVID-19 pandemic. As societies open up, many are starting to see a resurgence of transmission” Tedros said.
He added that every country and community must make its own decisions about how to host public events safely, based on their own level of risk. In some circumstances, closures or suspending events may be necessary for a short time. In others, there are creative ways events can be held safely to minimize risk.
