COVID 19: Six Bukomansimbi nurses placed under quarantine

Butenga health centre IV which is currently being used as an isolation centre for Bukomansimbi District. PHOTO BY GERTRUDE MUTYABA

At least six nurses in Bukomansimbi District have been placed under quarantine as a precaution on suspicion that they could have contracted the deadly coronavirus.

The nurses attached to Kisojo Health Centre II, have been isolated at Butenga Health Centre IV in Bukomansimbi District.

This comes after one of the nurses reportedly interacted and had been one of the contacts of a patient who recently tested positive of the virus in Kalangala District.

Kalangala recorded her first confirmed Covid -19 case on March 29. The victim is a 59-year old civil engineer and a resident of Beta-Senero landing site, Mugoye Sub-County in Kalangala District who returned from the US on March 12. He also owns businesses in Nyendo, a Masaka Town suburb.

Mr Muhammad Katerega, the Bukomansimbi District chairperson said the Covid -19 health team has already drawn nasal swab samples from the six nurses which have been taken to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe.

“We expect to get the results by Thursday,” he said when contacted on Wednesday.
Mr Kateregga said Kisojo Health Centre II is apparently closed as there no staff to attend to patients.

“We advise our people to go to other health units in the meantime as we address this problem,” he said.

Bukomansimbi has seven public health centres of which one is at the level of health centre IV. There are three health centre IIIs and three health centre IIs.

He said so far 16 people who have been under quarantine have been discharged after testing negative of the disease.

Kibenge Sub-County Chairperson, Mr Sowedi Sserwadda said they have embarked on sensitizing residents through community radios on how to guard themselves against the disease.

“We have had challenges with people that have come back from urban centres who are still reluctant to follow the preventive measures issued by Ministry of Health, but we are telling them all the set measures are good for their health .” he added.

Uganda’s number of confirmed cases still stands at 52.

To avert the spread of coronavirus the Ministry of Health recommends regular and proper hand washing with soap and water or use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers.

Others key measures include; observing social distancing, avoiding shaking hands, avoiding touching of soft parts like mouth ,eyes and nose, staying home and self-isolating from others in the household if one feels unwell.