Moroto prison sealed off as 30 inmates test positive to Covid-19

Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Moroto government prison has been closed to new inmates after 30 inmates tested positive to Covid-19 on Thursday.

All 30 have been evacuated to Jinja isolation centre for treatment while over 200 other inmates have been placed under quarantine. The 30 left Moroto government prison on Friday morning at 10:00am.

Frank Baine, the prisons spokesperson confirmed to Uganda Radio Network today that the prison has closed its gates to new inmates following confirmation of the results taken this week. Baine says that all the inmates in Moroto government prison have been placed under the 14 days mandatory period as  contacts.

The 30 cases have raised panic among the prison staff in Moroto and several prison officers have also been placed under quarantine.

The North Karamoja regional prisons officer, Sam Edotu said they are still listing contacts as the head office is due to give directives on the next course of action. He said they are waiting for information whether all the staff will be quarantined in Moroto or elsewhere.

The prison Covid-19 cases come at a time when atleast 7 staff of Moroto district local government including the district chairperson Andrew Napaja Keem are hospitalized after testing positive to Covid-19.

This has prompted the district to restrict entry to the district headquarters. The district leadership has resolved to stop entry of non-staff as a measure to minimize further infections.

The number of confirmed cases in Moroto district alone are close to sixty since the first two were confirmed in August.

The DHO Moroto, Dr. Hans Lokale says the district has recorded several community cases and has advised the public to observe the covid-19 prevention guidelines. Uganda has recorded 3,776 covid-19 cases with 44 deaths since the pandemic broke out.

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