Brian Kisembo, the Covid-19 Incident Manager in Kabarole and Fort Portal City says over 200 people have contracted the virus in the two areas even though 90 have since recovered. On Monday, the Ministry of Health confirmed 55 new cases in Kabarole, which is the highest number that has ever been recorded in the district.
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On Tuesday, all the people who will meet President Museveni during his campaign meeting in Fort Portal next week underwent a mandatory Covid-19 test.
The Covid-19
task force for Kabarole and Fort Portal Tourism City has run to
Non-Governmental Organizations–NGOs for support as cases of the virus keep
soaring.
Brian Kisembo, the Covid-19 Incident Manager in Kabarole and
Fort Portal City says over 200 people have contracted the virus in the two
areas even though 90 have since recovered. On Monday, the Ministry of Health confirmed 55 new cases in Kabarole, which is the
highest number that has ever been recorded in the district.
Kisembo says that
with eight deaths registered so far and 24 cases of health workers who have
since tested positive for the virus, they are writing to partner organizations
like Baylor Uganda to support the district and the city with Personal
Protective Equipment – PPE.
Kisembo also notes that the district task force lacks funds to facilitate its
activities including responding to alerts and sensitizing the public on
preventing measures. Recently, URN found that all the health centres in
Fort Portal had run out of PPEs and some health workers said the situation was
forcing them to use their own money to buy things like surgical masks and
gloves.
On what other steps the task force is taking to counter the
soaring cases, the incident manager explains that they are continuing with
sensitization of the public on Standard Operating Procedures – SOPs while at
the same time carrying out tests. “The reason why our cases seem high is
because we are testing. But it is not true that we are the Covid-19 epicenter,”
he says.
Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health Spokesperson, says that they still
have PPE but health centres should always make requisitions to National Medical
Stores – NMS on time. Currently, the isolation unit that has only
six beds at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital is full and the Covid-19
task force has asked other patients to keep in their homes as they receive the
necessary therapeutics.
As of Tuesday, Uganda had confirmed 23,200 Corona virus cases with 9,374
recoveries and 207 deaths.
Guest
Bureau Chief, Tooro Sub-Region
Christopher Tusiime
Guest