Uganda’s 426 legislators are undergoing mass testing for coronavirus, an exercise which began on Thursday.
Uganda has 1,051 cases and zero deaths since the virus was first reported in the country in March.
MPs say they had called for the testing given the “very interactive” nature of their work, interacting with people on a regular basis.
The Ugandan parliament’s chief communications officer, Helen Kawesa said it was important for MPs to play a central role in reducing chances of infections in the country.
She dismissed reports suggesting than an unnamed member of parliament had contracted the virus and was therefore hospitalised.
A colleague had tweeted that the MP had contracted the virus but Ms. Kawesa said there is no informaiton from the parliament confirming this claim.
“After the MPs have been screened, the parliamentary staff will be next”, she said of the mass testing involving the MPs.
Uganda continues to ban truckers from its neighbours from entering the country due to fears that they are high carriers of the virus.
WN/as/APA