Kabale Muslim Community in panic after Imam tests positive for Covid-19
The Kabale district Kadhi, Sheik Kabu Luule presiding over the scientific Idd-uh-Adha prayers as Kirigime headquarter mosque in Kabale town on Friday. PHOTO | ROBERT MUHEREZA
Kabale Muslim Community is under scare after one of their Imams tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Imam was admitted to Kabale Regional Referral Hospital on Sunday when he presented signs and symptoms of the disease.
The Acting Kabale District Health Officer (DHO), Mr Alfred Besigensi confirmed that the samples picked from the 56 year old Imam tested positive for the virus after health workers attending to him suspected that could be infected as he showed signs and symptoms.
“The results released on Thursday afternoon from Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), showed that the patient had tested positive and is now admitted Kabale hospital,” Mr Besigensi said.
“Six of his family members have been put under isolation as the health officials prepare to pick their samples for testing,” he said, adding that, it is the first confirmed community case registered in the district as those admitted and treated at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital were foreign cases of truck drivers.
While addressing the district’s muslim community on Friday, during the Idd-ul-Adha prayers held at Kirigime headquarter mosque in Kabale town, the chairman for Kabale Muslim District, Hajji Issa Tidyebwa and the vice chairman for Southern division of Kabale Municipality Yusuf Twegumyemu appealed to the muslim community members that could have gotten into contact with the victim to go for voluntary testing at Kabale hospital before their health situation worsens.
They also faulted Ministry of Health for taking long to test and get results for covid-19 suspected patients.
“Before the results came so many people had interacted with the sick Imam thinking that it was a simple illness. If the results on Covid-19 patients are being released immediately, many people that visited the imam in the hospital would not have done so until he was isolated,” Mr Twegumyemu said.
The victim, who is a resident of Nyakijumba village in Kabale town, had reportedly travelled from Kampala few days before he fell ill.
The Kabale district Kadhi Sheik Kabu Luule who presided over the scientific Idd-ul-Adha prayers, warned politicians against partisan politics based on religion and tribe but rather come up with issues concerning community development.
