Gunfire rocks Oyam Town as suspected Covid-19 patients attempt to flee

Gunfire rocked Oyam Town Council on Monday morning after suspected Covid-19 patients attempted to flee from institutional quarantine.

Trouble started when the patients, who have completed their mandatory 14-days of quarantine at Anyeke Health Centre IV, packed their belongings and attempted to walk out of the facility.

As a precautionary measure, any person suspected of having come into contact with a Covid-19 patient, is required to go into mandatory quarantine for 14 days at a designated isolation centre. Such a person can only be released if he or she is negative upon second testing.

The patients said they had already completed their 14 days at the facility but their test results had been delayed without any valid explanation from the authorities. They also said they were missing their families and wanted to reunite with them.

However, as they tried to match out of the health facility, irate locals who are anxious about Covid-19, reportedly descended on them with intent to lynch them.

This propelled security personnel to intervene by firing teargas and live bullets in a bid to contain the situation.

The District Health Officer (DHO), Dr Thomas Malinga, says the victims wanted to return to their homes having finished the mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine, but they did not have the certificates showing they were Covid-19 negative.

“Their samples were taken last week but the results have not yet been returned,” he said when contacted on Monday.

Dr Malinga, however, dispelled reports of the mob wanting to lynch the victims.

There are 15 suspected cases at Anyeke Health Centre IV and Works department at Oyam Town Council.

Ms Gillian Akullu, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), who also doubles as the Oyam Covid-19 taskforce chairperson, confirmed the incident, but could not ascertain the exact number of the victims.

Ms Akullu said one of people placed under quarantine tested positive for the virus and was taken to Lira Regional Referral Hospital for treatment on Saturday.

“Because one person had already tested positive, the rest of the people under quarantine were detained for another 14 days as they are being monitored closely but today they started protesting,” she said.

“So, my security team then started shooting in the air to prevent them from escaping because some had already moved out of the isolation centre,” Ms Akullu.

COMPLIED BY BILL OKETCH, PATRICK EBONG & SANTO OJOK