Kitgum restricts access to district headquarters as four staff test positive for Covid-19

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kitgum district local government has imposed restrictions on public access to the district headquarters due to increased cases of COVID-19 among civil servants.

The Chief Administrative Officer Martin Jacan Gwokto says that the restriction will help to curb the spread of the virus amidst soaring community transmission cases.

Gwokto says they have also scaled down the numbers of workers to 20 percent to minimize contacts, gatherings and possible risks of COVID-19 spread. Those affected include support staffs and secretaries.

He notes that access to the offices remains for critical stakeholders and civil servants and notes that others will only access through prior appointments.

Gwokto says the restrictions have been extended to all local government offices citing works and water department outside the district headquarters and the sub-county offices until the situation normalizes.

The LCV chairperson Jackson Omona revealed that the decision was reached at following advice from the COVID-19 task-force.

Omona says so far four civil servants working in the district have tested positive for COVID-19.

He cited that a driver and security guard at Kitgum general hospital, commercial officer at the district local government and another driver at Kitgum Core Primary Teachers College among those that tested positive.

Omona notes that service delivery in the district won’t be disrupted and urged the public not to lose hope.

He says the COVID-19 task force surveillance team is monitoring contacts to the positive cases who are now in self-quarantine.

Kitgum district has registered a total of 31 cases of COVID-19 out of which 29 were registered in the past 12 days.

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