The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | While countries neighbouring Uganda including Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania have reported positive cases of coronavirus (COVID 19), experts say their analysis of how the disease which started in China late last year is spreading shows Uganda might have it later and milder.
Dr Monica Musenero a consultant epidemiologist says going by the way it and other cases of flu have been spreading, growth of viruses are favoured by cool environments.
She said because of the weather, Africa has had to get its episode of outbreaks later.
Musenero who was also appointed senior presidential advisor on epidemics on Monday says there are a lot of myths around the infection with COVID which have sent the public into an unnecessary panic. She clarified that even as everybody is jumping on the sanitizer bandwagon leading to their prices skyrocketing, using just usual soap and water in addition to avoiding touching the nose, mouth and eyes is sufficient enough.
She added that even the mouth mask is being done wrong because it’s recommended to be used by those that suspect to be infected or have developed symptoms.
On his part, Virologist Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu who heads the Uganda Virus Research Institute said his laboratory which is the only one doing confirmatory tests for the virus so far had tested 62 suspected cases by yesterday morning and all results came out negative.
He noted that they have already stocked reagents that can help do as much as over 520 tests per day should the virus be confirmed in the country. But, he added that these tests are not as sophisticated and can be done by any other laboratory if accredited by the Ministry of Health.
For a test to be confirmed, it takes between four to six hours to have the results ready, he explained to journalists attending a Science Café organized by the Health Journalists Network on Wednesday.
According to statistics by the World Health Organization, there were 179111 positive cases of COVID 19 around the world by Tuesday. There were also 7426 deaths. While 81116 cases were recorded in China, over 150 other countries had reported positive cases by yesterday.
The World Health Organization warns the risk of acquiring the disease from anywhere around the world remains very high.
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