Epidemics Tracker

Coronavirus underscores what’s missing in Africa | MOSES NGWARE | Almost universally, one of the first measures taken to contain the spread of COVID-19 was the closure of schools, colleges and universities. This has affected over 1.576 billion learners, constituting slightly over 91% of enrolment. In Africa, about 297 million …

Arua, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Four truck drivers who were intercepted at Pakwach on Thursday night after testing positive for COVID-19 have been isolated at Arua Regional Referral Hospital.  The truck drivers who entered Uganda through Mutukula through Kampala on their way to the Democratic Republic of Congo, were tested …

Puebla, Mexico | AFP |  All around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has left people scrambling for protective face coverings. But in Mexico, where the masked stars of “lucha libre” wrestling are already cultural icons, people are using their colorful masks to ward off the disease in style. The wrestling masks, fitted …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  A section of Members of Parliament has tasked the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to prepare legal instruments to effect the current measures to control the spread of coronavirus disease- COVID-19. Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa and West Budama South MP …

Tunis, Tunisia | AFP |  The feared impact of coronavirus on Tunisia’s fragile public health system has provoked a flurry of innovation from robotics to digitalisation efforts to bolster the North African country’s pandemic response. The government has even turned to students for help, asking the engineering school in Sousse, south …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  One new COVID-19 case has been confirmed today by the Uganda Virus Research Institute, bringing Uganda’s load to 75 cases. The new case is a 43-year-old Ugandan truck driver who entered the country through the Malaba border crossing from Kenya. This is the 18th truck …

The comedy, corruption, and politics Kampala, Uganda | JOSEPH WERE |  As the response to the Corona virus disease COVID-19 tests the leadership skills of heads of state and government across the world, President Yoweri Museveni has so far performed very well according to most observers who have spoken to The …

FIFA to give members $150m to support overcome COVID-19 effects Lausanne, Switzerland | AFP | FIFA will release $500,000 (Ush 2billion) to each national football governing body  to help handle financial troubles caused by the coronavirus, the global body said on Friday. FIFA will release a total $150 million (139 million euros) …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The race is on to produce a vaccine against COVID-19 but it is not certain that one can be found, the head of the global vaccines alliance said Friday. Seth Berkley said the more competition the better in the scientific fightback against the new coronavirus pandemic, …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Cargo truck drivers have raised concern about police officers examining their trucks without wearing protective gear saying it exposes them to contracting coronavirus. Through Haulers Cargo Truck Driver’s Association which comprises about 1000 truck drivers spread across the East African region, the truck drivers …