Prime Minister, Rugunda goes into isolation as Uganda’s COVID-19 cases surpasses 500

After some of his contacts tested positive for COVID-19, Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has gone into self-isolation. He is the first senior official in government to be isolated since March saw the first cases of coronavirus disease in Uganda.

Rugunda, who announced his decision via his Twitter handle @RuhakanaR, said he needed to isolate as a prescribed health measure although his results were negative.

Rugunda, one of the ministers tested yesterday for COVID-19, is also the head of the government task force COVID-19.

“Friends, I have gone into self-isolation after some of my contacts tested positive for #COVID19. My own test result is negative, however, I have taken this decision as a health recommended measure. #StaySafeUG,” Rugunda posted on the handle.

Friends, I have gone into self isolation after some of my contacts tested positive for #COVID19. My own test result is negative, however, I have taken this decision as a health recommended measure. #StaySafeUG

— Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda (@RuhakanaR) June 5, 2020

The Prime Minister ‘s results were among the 2,267 samples tested at the Uganda Virus Research Institute and the Central Public Health Laboratory yesterday for the disease.

From the results released this morning, 35 new positive cases have been reported-taking the total to 557 for the country. Fifteen of the cases came from truck drivers, and twenty were from alerts and contacts with truck drivers or people who tested positive for the disease.

20  of the cases were from alerts and contacts that were picked from the community in the areas (7 from Kampala, 5 from Amuru, 3 from Mayuge, 2 from Kyotera, 1 from Wakiso, 1 from Dokolo and 1 from Amolatar) while 15 were from truck drivers who were tested from Elegu border post, Busia, in Lia, Malaba and the Oraba. The 31 foreign truck drivers who tested positive were sent back to their countries of origin.

In the country over 140 confirmed cases were reported this week alone. More than half of those cases were reported from community alerts and contacts. Dr Diana Atwine, the Health Ministry ‘s permanent secretary, says the community’s rising cases are worrying.

The number of confirmed cases in Uganda has now exceeded Rwanda with 410 cases, and Tanzania with 509. Kenya and South Sudan each have the highest number of confirmed cases with 2,340 and 994 respectively in the region. Atwine says the country’s facing the worst yet.

“The rest of the world has been reporting high numbers as we were preparing for the worst. With the numbers that we are now getting, the epidemic has just hit Uganda. We are likely to see much bigger numbers,” Atwine said.

The prime minister will now self-isolate for 14 days, in compliance with health regulations. Health ministry officials are supposed to check on him once a day during those 14 days and take on his vitals. If he does not develop any symptoms related to COVID-19, he will be retested after the 14-day duration and given an isolation permit which confirms that he has tested the disease negative.

Atwine says the ministers decision to study was taken after being classified as a high-risk group.

“Ministers have been moving around meeting very many people. For this reason, they need to be tested. And we have not done this for only ministers but also the ministry of Health staff and journalists who meet so many people,” Atwine said.

In recent weeks, Rugunda has held meetings with different teams donating to the national task force COVID-19, as well as with teams distributing food in some areas of Kampala. He was also among the key officials in government who were part of the presidential briefings on coronavirus disease.

However, Atwine refuted claims that some ministers may have tested positive to the disease, “I have not heard of anything of the sort. Have you?” Atwine asked.