Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament has confirmed that five of its staff have tested positive for Covid-19. A statement issued by Helen Kaweesa, the Assistant Director of Communications and Public Affairs indicates that the positive cases were recorded after a random testing exercise at the Parliament last week. …
Read More »Hundreds of Kampala’s COVID patients self-isolating at home
✳ Uganda confirmed cases 3,353 ✳ Deaths 35 ✳ Recoveries 1,564 Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | Over 467 of the 954 people who have in the last one month tested positive in Kampala have not yet been evacuated to treatment in isolation facilities, the Ministry of Health (MOH) revealed on …
Read More »COVID-19 a particular threat to education of refugee children: UN
Geneva, Switzerland | XINHUA | While children in every country have struggled with the impact of COVID-19 on their education, the refugee children have been particularly disadvantaged, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said in a new report issued on Thursday. UN figures showed that 1.6 billion learners across the …
Read More »WHO roots for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccine in Africa
Nairobi, Kenya | XINHUA | The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that donors and industry should allocate sufficient resources to ensure that African countries have access to a safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccine. Richard Mihigo, Program Area Manager of Immunization and Vaccine Development of WHO, said the needs …
Read More »UN chief terms COVID-19 as game-changer for int’l peace, security
United Nations | XINHUA | United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told world leaders on Wednesday that the COVID-19 pandemic has become a game-changer for international peace and security. The world has “entered a volatile and unstable new phase” in terms of the impact of COVID-19 on peace and security, the …
Read More »Constant surges of coronavirus infections expected without a vaccine
Brussels, Belgium | XINHUA | The head of the European health advisory body warned on Wednesday that constant surges and decreases of COVID-19 cases will continue until a vaccine is available. Andrea Ammon, director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, said that the increase in cases in …
Read More »UVRI accredited among COVID-19 reference laboratories in Africa
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has been accredited by the World Health Organization-WHO as one of the COVID-19 reference laboratories in Africa. The laboratory which is spearheading COVID-19 testing in the country is one of eight laboratories that were accredited as reference laboratories …
Read More »MP Luttamaguzi Semakula, 22 others granted bail
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Nakaseke South Member of Parliament Luttamaguzi Ssemakula and 22 other suspects who are accused of disregarding COVID-19 guidelines have been granted bail. Luttamaguzi, Violet Nakalema, an aspirant for the Nakaseke Woman Parliamentary Seat and 21 others were remanded to Kitalya and Kasangati prisons by …
Read More »Ten COVID patients left in communities as Arua hospital runs out of space
Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There is anxiety among health and local officials in Arua district, following reports that the COVID-19 treatment facility has run out of space. Newly tested positive cases have now been left in their communities, and not yet linked to care. This is according to a …
Read More »Steroid hydrocortisone increases recovery rates in severe COVID-19 patients
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Patients with severe forms of COVID-19 have higher chances of surviving if given fixed doses of hydrocortisone. This is according to findings of a new study carried out by the Imperial College of London. The findings which were released today and published in the journal …
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