Uganda has registered one new case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to take its national tally to 53 cases. While addressing the nation yet again on Wednesday, President Yoweri Museveni said 214 were tested today and one tested positive at the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
The new case was under quarantine according to Museveni. Museveni thanked Ugandans for adhering to the cumulative preventive guidelines, saying though it was not yet time to celebrate, the low numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases with no deaths is a sign of the effectiveness of what has been implemented thus far.
According to Museveni, COVID-19 is very easy to control if people take personal responsibility of constant hand washing and avoid touching their faces. He said more deaths are being registered in Europe, and particularly Italy due to liberalism.
According to Museveni, China was able to control the coronavirus outbreak because when the government asked everyone to keep indoors they adhered. In Europe, however, Museveni says, everybody considers themselves as too big to listen to government. In the last 24 hours, except USA with 1,528 deaths, Europe once again recorded the day's highest COVID-19 deaths in the world.
UK registered 938 deaths, Spain 628, Italy 542, France 541, Belgium 205, Germany 176, Netherlands 147 deaths among others. In Africa, Algeria 12 once again topped the continent with the highest deaths followed by Egypt with 9 deaths, South Africa 5 Burkina Faso 4 Morocco 3 Mali 2.
Museveni said Africa is not battling the COVID-19 pandemic but rather social discipline because the lifestyles are different. Museveni says in Europe they use communal trains and so it was easy for the virus to spread so quickly.
Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng said they are still tracing for 1,886 passengers and their contacts who entered Uganda through Entebbe airport since March 7. She said these will be tested from their homes and the positive ones isolated.
WAR NOT COMFORT
Museveni says some Ugandans have complained about being inconvenienced by the lockdown, claiming that it was affecting education and business. However, Museveni said at the moment it is not about convenience, businesses or education. He said the measures in place are to prevent mass death.
As such Museveni banned outdoor exercising saying those who want to exercise should do so from their rooms or compounds.
“There are some characters who play with fire because this disease is very dangerous. Therefore, those playing with this should stop. They should stop saying nonsense; this is not about inconvenience; that you are bored; that’s good, you could be in the grave where there is no boredom.” Museveni said.
“There are some characters who play with fire because this disease is very dangerous. Therefore, those playing with this should stop. They should stop saying nonsense; this is not about inconvenience; that you are bored; that’s good, you could be in the grave where there is no boredom.” Museveni said.