By Spy Uganda
The ministry of health has assured Ugandans that there is no Coronavirus outbreak in Uganda.
The assurance came hours after it was reported in the media that four cases of coronavirus patients had been identified at Entebbe International Airport and quickly isolated.
However, the Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, revealed on Monday afternoon that the four isolated foreigners have tested negative for the now dreaded coronavirus.
Dr Atwine tweeted that there is no cause for alarm since all the four are safe.
“Take heart our teams are working professionally. The good news is that all those isolated turned negative so no cause for alarm. Give us the chance to do our best to safeguard Ugandans,” Atwine tweeted.
On Sunday evening, the Ministry of Health had revealed in a statement that four foreigners had been isolated after arriving at Entebbe International Airport and presenting flu symptoms.
“The Ministry of Health is currently isolating four foreign nationals at Entebbe Hospital. They were picked up from Entebbe International Airport after presenting with flu and cough symptoms by our surveillance teams. Samples have been collected and are being tested at UVRI,” the statement said.
The Permanent Secretary however urged Ugandans to remain calm saying they all tested negative, and called upon Ugandans to have faith in medical professionals.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, has killed more than 2,700 people. Most of the deaths have been in China, where the virus originated in December.
Globally, more than 80,000 people in more than 40 countries have now been infected.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Africa regional director Matshidiso Moeti has warned that Africa’s “window of opportunity to prepare for the COVID-19 disease is closing”
