Covid19 kills another Mbale man as Uganda records highest number of Covid19 cases, including 153 prison inmates, in single day

A man from Mbale is the 20th Ugandan to die of Covid19, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has confirmed as it announced the highest number of cases in a single day, including 153 prison inmates.

The deceased was aged 49.

On August 19, another man from Mbale succumbed to Covid19, according to MoH. The deceased had been admitted at a private health facility in Mbale after he presented with symptoms consistent with Covid19.

He passed on at the Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.

Read: Mbale man is 16th Ugandan to die of Covid19

RECORD HIGH NUMBER OF CASES

According to results from tests done on August 21, Uganda has registered 318 Covid19 cases, the highest number in a single day since the first infection was confirmed on March 21.

These include 153 inmates and one prison staff from Amuru Prisons.

The others are: 136 contacts and alerts from the following areas:

• Kampala: 65
• Kiryandongo: 14
• Gulu: 09
• Mbarara: 09
• Kitgum: 08
• Arua: 08
• Wakiso: 07
• Mbale: 04
• Buikwe: 04
• Masaka: 02
• Bugiri: 01
• Jinja: 01
• Luweero: 01
• Manafwa: 01
• Masindi: 01
• Mityana: 01

Also part of the new cases are 20 health workers: Kitgum (09), Kampala (06), Arua (02), Adjumani (01), Kiryandongo (01), and Luweero (01).

Eight truck drivers that arrived via Malaba (03), Busia (02), Mpondwe (01), Oraba (01), and Madi Opei (01) also tested positive for Covid19.

The cumulative number of cases for Uganda stands at 2,166, with 1,199 of these having fully recovered and been discharged from various health facilities.

CONCERNS ABOUT KAMPALA CASES

Speaking in Kampala on August 22, health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng was concerned that Kampala Metropolitan Area had the highest number of Covid19 community transmission.

Minister Aceng noted that 540 Covid19 cases have been reported in Kampala since March 23, with 342 of these registered within the last one week (August 15-21). The number also included five fatalities.

She also noted that there was “need to ensure that workplaces strictly observe the Standard Operating Procedures and Infection, Prevention and Control measures to limit the spread of Covid19” especially after several companies registered cases.

These include: Malaysia Furnishing, Royal Pharma, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the inspectorate of Government (IGG office), KCCA, Toyota, NRM Secretariat, Eagle Holdings and Megha Industries.

Media houses such as New Vision, NBS, NTV, and BBS, as well as some private hospitals have also reported cases.