A total of 22 health care workers have so far tested positive for COVID-19, Uganda’s Ministry of Health said.
A statement released by the ministry on Sunday said that the country had recorded 30 new confirmed cases raising the national total to 646. All the confirmed cases were Ugandans.
“A total of 1,876 samples were tested from Points of Entry, 1,728 samples from alerts and contacts and 154 samples from health workers,” the statement read in part.
“Four of the confirmed cases are frontline health workers. This brings the total number of COVID-19 positive health workers to 22.”
The statement added that 18 of the 30 cases were alerts and contacts to previously confirmed cases.
Uganda has so far registered 103 recoveries and no COVID-19 related deaths.
The ministry also said that it registered 51 positive cases from foreign truck drivers. Out of the 51, 43 were Kenyans, four were Tanzanians, three were Burundians and one was Eritrean. The truck drivers were handed over to their countries of origin.
Last month, Uganda reduced the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country following an order by President Yoweri Museveni to strike off all foreign truck drivers from the country’s case count.
Uganda had previously shifted its initial position and began adding positive tests from neighbouring countries to its tally and treating such cases locally in accordance with World Health Organisation guidelines.
However, with a rise in cross-border transmission of COVID-19, Museveni came under pressure to deal with the situation.
