Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The US Embassy in Kampala has temporarily suspended routine visitor visa interviews following a recent spike in Covid-19 cases in the country. The suspension comes in the wake of the third wave of the pandemic declared by the Ministry of Health on 7 January …
Read More »COVID: WHO recommends two new ‘wonder’ drugs
Geneva, Switzerland | THE INDEPENDENT | WHO has recommended two new drugs for COVID-19, providing yet more options for treating the disease. The extent to which these medicines will save lives depends on how widely available and affordable they will be. The first drug, baricitinib, is strongly recommended for patients …
Read More »MINISTRY: No COVID tests, no school fees hike
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Plans by several schools to make a COVID-19 test compulsory for returning students, and to also increase school fees, could be frustrated if orders by the Ministry of Education are enforced. Several educationists URN talked to are however not happy with the directive, saying …
Read More »COVID-19 testing requirement for truckers at border halted
Tororo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has dropped its decision requiring truckers to undergo a mandatory COVID-19 testing before entering the country. The truckers have been paying sh100,000 for COVID-19 testing before they are allowed to cross into Uganda. Recently, the truckers from Kenya rose up in protest …
Read More »Djokovic detained at Australian airport in COVID-19 vaccination dispute
Melbourne, Australia | THE INDEPENDENT | Tennis star Novak Djokovic has been held in Melbourne, hours after arriving for the Australian Open supposedly with a vaccination exemption. Border Force officials are still assessing his documents to support his exemption. According to officials, a COVID infection in the past six months – …
Read More »Dissatisfaction rises as Europeans celebrate holidays amid raging pandemic
Warsaw, Poland | Xinhua | Several European countries have seen record COVID infections in the post-Christmas days. During the holidays, surging numbers and ramped-up restrictions have led to dissatisfaction and criticism among experts and citizens. CELEBRATION AND INFECTION France has seen a sharp increase since Christmas, with 208,099 cases detected …
Read More »Residents storm Mbalala police protesting New Year arrests
Mukono, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have fired teargas to disperse angry residents who stormed Mbalala Police Station Saturday, protesting the shooting and detention of revelers on December 31st, 2021. The revelers alleged that Coleb Asiimwe, the OC Mbalala Police Station last night shot and killed a 15-year-old girl …
Read More »Omicron: 2,000-odd flights canceled on New Year’s Day in U.S
New York, US | Xinhua | Over 2,000 flights have been canceled on New Year’s Day as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continued to upend airline operations during the holiday travel season in the United States. According to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, 2,311 flights entering, leaving or within the United …
Read More »Kampala hotels usher in New Year despite ban on events
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several hotels in Kampala on Friday ushered in the New Year with parties, despite police banning organizing events. A survey by URN reporters in the areas of Bukoto, Ntinda, Nakawa found some hotels filled with revelers celebrating the New Year. On Monday, the Police …
Read More »Number of admitted Covid patients remains low in Uganda
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 148 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19 despite the high number of positive cases being reported, this is according to records from the Ministry of Health. According to records, as of December 25, over 148 positive cases are admitted nationwide in treatment …
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