Uganda’s Ministry of Health has confirmed the 1st case of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) making Uganda the latest East African country to be hit by the deadly global virus.
The health minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng confirmed case as a 36-year-old Ugandan male who arrived from Dubai on Saturday 21st March 2020 aboard Ethiopian Airlines.
“During the screening process at the airport, his temperature was 38.7. This prompted the health teams to isolate him at the airport for further follow-up. Subsequent temperatures taken at intervals of 30 minutes and one hour remained the same. He was evacuated to Entebbe Grade B Hospital for further follow up where a nasal swab was taken for analysis.” Said Health minister Aceng
The confirmed case presented with high fever and poor appetite. He is not coughing neither did he have flu. However, the persistent fever prompted the health workers to isolate him.
Dr Aceng said that nasal swab samples were sent to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) for analysis and the results turned out positive for COVID-19.
The confirmed case had travelled to Dubai on the 17th of March, 2020 (four days ago) for business purposes. At the time of his travel, he was in good health. He is a resident of Kibuli, Kagungulu zone, Kampala.
According to the minister, to date a total of 1,827 travelers including Ugandans and others travelling back home have been identified as coming from high-risk countries for purposes of follow up. About 827 are completing self-quarantine while about 1,000 are under quarantine.
The Ministry of Health has reassured the general public that all measures were undertaken to identify this case at the airport and isolate him in a timely manner.
Dr Aceng told journalists that a passenger manifest has been retrieved and all contacts are known as we are in possession of the passports of all the travelers that came on that plane.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.
According to the World Health Organisation-WHO, people infected with the COVID-19 virus experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.
The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
CN/abj/APA