Uganda confirms second Coronavirus death

What you need to know:

  • A total of 975 people have recovered from the virus since the first case was confirmed in March 2020.

The Ministry of Health officials have confirmed the second Coronavirus death as Uganda’s cases on Sunday rose to 1,115.
The Ministry’s spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona said the deceased was an 80-year-old female who had been admitted to Mengo Hospital in Kampala.
She’s a resident of Mengo, Kisenyi III in Kampala.

She was first admitted at Platinum Hospital on July 24, 2020 at 5pm and later referred to Mengo Hospital. Upon admission at Mengo Hospital, she presented with symptoms consistent to Covid-19 which included fever, cough, chest pain and difficulty in breathing, according to Ministry of Health officials.
“She later passed on at 6:30pm.The Mengo team immediately notified the Ministry of Health and Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) through the normal channel. Post mortem samples were analysed both at Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and Makerere University laboratories and confirmed for SARS-COV-2,” said Dr Charles Olaro on behalf of the director general health services.
In a statement issued Sunday, Dr Olaro said the contact tracing and listing process had been initiated.

He also confirmed 12 new infections as Uganda’s cases rise to 1,115.
A total of 975 people have recovered from the virus since the first case was confirmed in March 2020.
First case
Government on July 23 confirmed the first case of Covid-19 death in the country, with strong calls to Ugandans to adhere to the prevention measures put in place by the Ministry of Health.

The deceased, a 34-year-old Ugandan female from Namisindwa District in eastern Uganda, passed on July 21 at a clinic in Mbale District.
Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, the State minister for Primary Healthcare, told Daily Monitor on July 23 that results from analysis of samples taken from the deceased to four laboratories, turned out positive for the contagious viral disease.
“The results came out and unfortunately, it is positive for Covid-19 and that implies Uganda has registered one case of death,” she said.

The samples taken on Wednesday were subjected to analysis at Covid-19 testing laboratories at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe, the Central Public Health Laboratory, and both Tororo and Makerere laboratories.
At the time of her first admission, Dr Kaducu said the deceased had presented Covid-19-related symptoms that included fever, headache and difficulty in breathing.