COVID-19: President Museveni put in isolation

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni is in self-isolation at Nakasero State Lodge after he tested positive for the Corona Virus on Wednesday.

Museveni says that he has delegated his work until tomorrow’s Heroes’ Day activities in Luwero to Prime Minister, Robinah Nabanjja.

“By God’s Grace all is well, and I am only experiencing mild symptoms. However, I always prefer to err on the side of caution and self-isolate for now,” the President says.

This development is highlighted in a statement issued by the President Thursday afternoon. This follows a revelation he made during his State of the Nation Address to Parliament at Kololo Independence Grounds on Wednesday.

“After the very useful interactive retreat in Kyankwanzi, I was already immersed in the activities in Kampala. However, on Tuesday, I started experiencing mild flu-like symptoms. I ignored the feeling and had my meetings in Entebbe as well as working on my voluminous State of the Nation Address,” Museveni’s statement reads in part.

He adds that on Wednesday morning, he noticed some mild flu-like symptoms in one of the nostrils (the right one) and that this is when he called his doctors to take samples and rule out Corona.

“They took three samples- one rapid and two PCRs. The rapid one was negative and so was one of the PCRs. However, one of the PCRs was positive. Taking precautionary measures, I traveled to Kololo, with a separate car from Maama’s car as the samples were taken back for reconfirmation. When I came back from Kololo, it was confirmed that I had Corona,” the President states.

Museveni says that he has been very cautious with Corona but he recently had to give up masks because they have been causing him allergic reactions in the eyes and in the throat.

“Do you remember when I lost my voice twice during the elections? That is part of the allergy. I have, therefore, got the second forced leave in the last 53 years, ever since 1971, when we started fighting Idi Amin. One other time, was when I had a problem of sinuses and I had to lie low for some days at Mweya,” he says.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency, but stressed that it does not mean the disease is no longer a global threat.

This announcement came more than three years after the organization declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency.

According to WHO’s Coronavirus Dashboard, as of 10 May 2023, the cumulative COVID-19 cases worldwide approach 766 million. Nearly 7 million deaths from the disease have been reported.

In a statement by Tedros Adhanom, the WHO Director-General noted that for over 12 months the pandemic “has been on a downward trend.”

Immunity has increased, death rates have dropped, and the pressure on health systems has eased, he said.

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