COVID-19 positive truck driver intercepted with female company in Luweero

Luweero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Luweero has intercepted a coronavirus (COVID-19) positive truck driver and a female friend. The driver was on his way to Elegu border in Amuru district.

The 28-year-old Ugandan truck driver was intercepted at a road block mounted by police at Don Petrol in Luweero town.

Abraham Tukundane, the Luweero District Police Commander explains that the truck driver tested for COVID-19 at Mutukula border on the way from Tanzania on Wednesday and was allowed to proceed to Elegu border as the results were being are obtained.

Tukundane adds that when the results were found positive, officials from Ministry of Health alerted police along the highway and he was intercepted at the road block about 10pm on Thursday night.

The Luweero District Police Commander adds that the truck driver was found in company of a 27-year old woman whom he allegedly picked from Kibuli in Kampala city. The police patrol led the driver to Luweero weigh bridge before health officials were alerted to pick them.

Doctor Innocent Nkonwa, the Luweero District Health Officer says that he immediately alerted Dr. Atek Kagirita, the COVID-19 incident commander in the Health Ministry who immediately sent in an ambulance that picked the driver who was transferred them to an isolation facility at Mulago Hospital for treatment.

Nkonwa adds that the woman who come into contact with the truck driver has also been picked on Friday morning and transferred to a quarantine centre in Kampala. He said that the district is also following up and investigating a family in Wobulenzi town belonging to another truck driver who tested positive and was intercepted in Gulu .

By time of compiling the story, the Luweero district Surveillance team was still interviewing the family before a decision to quarantine them is taken.

The Ministry of Health gazetted Bombo Military Hospital as a treatment center of all patients from Greater Luweero districts. So far no person has tested positive in the region and none is yet admitted at Bombo Military Hospital.

Uganda has so far registered 160 confirmed cases of COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 160 after 21 people tested positive on Thursday.

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