COVID-19: Confirmed cases reach 616 as more 23 cases are discovered amongst truck drivers and contacts

Results from samples tested on 06^th June 2020 have confirmed 23 new Covid-19 cases, taking Uganda’s confirmed total cases to 616.

According to Uganda’s Ministry of Health, the 23, include: 7 truck drivers from Elegu, Mutukula and Mirama Hills border points; 1 security personnel from Elegu and another case of a frontline health worker. They also include 14 cases from contacts and alerts from; Kyotera, Adjumani, Tororo and Amuru districts.

Besides the 23 new cases, 47 foreign truck drivers who tested positive for COVID-19 were handed over to their countries of origin. According to Uganda’s new protocols, foreign truck drivers, are no longer included in the country’s case count and are returned to their home countries.

To date, total recoveries stand at 96 cases.

Ministry of Health also said that today, 1,515 samples from points of entry had been taken as well as 949 samples from contacts of those already confirmed positive or suspected. The samples taken today, also included those of 30 health workers. Altogether 2,494 tests were taken today.

President Museveni on Thursday last week, directed that all cabinet ministers take the Covid-19 tests, following an aide of the Prime Minister testing positive for the disease. However the Prime Minister himself, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda tested negative, although he has since chosen to go into a 14-day isolation.

The New Vision, Uganda’s leading daily reported that President Museveni ordered that whoever does not report for the mandatory tests shouldn’t attend the Monday cabinet meetings.

Although the results for the cabinet tests are not yet out, some ministers such as Gender, Social Affairs and Labour Development Minister, Frank Tumwebaze has twitted that he was found negative.