Uganda’s total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases shot up to 2,679 on Thursday after the Ministry of Health reported 155 new cases.
The figure is a 58 percent increase from the one reported on Wednesday when the ministry reported 98 cases. It is, however, far below the record daily increase of 318 cases reported on Saturday.
Of the 155 cases, nine of them were health workers, the ministry said.
The World Health Organisation attributes infection of health workers to various factors including inadequate access to personal protective equipment, exposure to patients who do not show signs of the disease and repurposing of health workers for COVID-19 response without adequate briefing.
The ministry’s figures also indicated that 71 cases (about 46 percent) were reported in the capital Kampala, which, authorities say, has the highest numbers of community transmissions.
Six of the health workers who tested positive were from Kampala while two were from Wakiso and one was from Jinja.
Among the cases were five Ugandan truck drivers and one returnee from the United Arab Emirates.
The ministry also reported two more COVID-19-related deaths which increased the death toll to 28.
“Uganda has recorded two COVID-19 deaths today; both are males aged 58 years from Kapchorwa District and 59 years from Mbale District. The cumulative total of COVID-19 deaths are now 28.”
The ministry also reported that 14 foreign truck drivers, 13 Kenyans and one Rwandan, tested positive for COVID-19 and were denied entry into the country.
