Acholi MPs want Elegu town put under quarantine for 21 days

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of Parliament from Acholi want the government to put Elegu town council in Amuru district under quarantine for 21 days.

According to the MPs, following the emergence of several cases of truck drivers testing positive at the Elegu border post between Uganda and South Sudan, there could be cases of the virus in the community since the truck drivers have interacted freely with the community.

Gulu Regional Referral Hospital now has 67 COVID-19 positive cases that were intercepted from other border points. Of the 36, positive cases reported on Thursday, 20 were from Elegu border post.

In a press conference held at Parliament on Friday, the MPs led by the Leader of Opposition and Gulu Woman MP Betty Aol Ochan asked the government to put in place COVID-19 testing machines at Elegu border and also an ambulance to transport patients to treatment centres.

Kilak MP Gilbert Olanya says that there should be mass testing in Elegu to ensure that any case of COVID-19 is suppressed.

Ochan says Gulu Regional Referral hospital is overwhelmed because the isolation capacity can accommodate only 12 cases. She says that the government should equip Elegu and Gulu hospitals to manage COVID-19 cases.

Lyandro Komakech, the Gulu Municipality MP has asked the President to review the opening of the lockdown with the rising cases.

Okin PP Ojara, the chair Acholi Parliamentary group says the management of the border points have been poor and could cost Uganda.

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