69 in isolation after soldier’s wife tests positive for coronavirus
The woman, who is currently undergoing treatment at Jinja hospital, had travelled from Singo Barracks to nurse her husband on Tuesday last week.
At least 69 people in Magamaga Army Barracks in Jinja District have been quarantined after a wife of a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier tested positive for Covid-19.
Capt George Musinguzi, the UPDF spokesperson for Busoga Sub-region, yesterday said the people, including soldiers, their wives, families and friends, are under isolation and heavily guarded as they wait for Ministry of Health officials to come for their samples.
“We have notified the Ministry of Health and they are coming with testing kits to test all the 69 people. Those who test positive will be handed over to the hospital management for further management while those who test negative will be placed under quarantine for 14 days,” he said.
Capt Musinguzi added that despite the UPDF soldier testing negative, his sample had been taken for a second time “to rule out anything”.
The woman, who is currently undergoing treatment at Jinja hospital, had travelled from Singo Barracks to nurse her husband on Tuesday last week.
The UPDF soldier, whose identities were withheld, is reported to have suffered a mental breakdown and was admitted to the barrack’s health facility.
Case at Jinja hospital
Capt Musinguzi said the district surveillance team received the woman’s results late but she was successfully transferred to the Jinja hospital isolation unit for further management.
When contacted yesterday, Dr Florence Tugumisirize, the hospital director, said she had not yet reviewed the patient’s file as she has been off duty since Friday when the patient was reportedly wheeled into the facility.
Meanwhile, Mr Emmy Mitala, the Mayuge Deputy Resident District Commissioner, said other positive cases were reported in Bwonda Landing Site and Busakila Village.
Mr Mitala said movements have been restricted on the district’s landing sites to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Last month, an officer at Masindi Police Station tested positive for coronavirus, leading to quarantining of the entire barracks of 104 personnel and their families.
The officer did not have history of any contact with any person who had returned from abroad nor was he among the frontline personnel deployed to enforce the presidential directives on the pandemic.
Police stations and barracks are some of the most congested areas, making it difficult to maintain social distancing.
