500 Covid patients admitted in Uganda hospitals in 24 hours

The number of Covid-19 patients in Uganda’s hospitals has surged to 538 after 508 new cases were admitted in 24 hours, according to Ministry of Health officials.

In a Wednesday afternoon statement, the ministry said the number of active cases admitted at the health facilities across the country had jumped from 30 on January 2, 2022 to 538 on January 3.

The cumulative number of people infected with the virus in Uganda as the highly contagious variant, Omicron continues to sweep across the globe has also surged to 146,776 after 1,766 new cases were registered in just 24 hours.

The health officials say one more person succumbed to Covid-19 on January 3, bringing the total number of virus deaths to 3,313 since March 2020 when the outbreak was confirmed in the country.

Vaccines administered

At least 11,922,428 vaccine doses have been so far administered, out of the 32 million doses received by government of Uganda since March 2021.
Government says 98,589 patients have recovered from the virus since March 2020. 
At least 2.1 million tests have so far been conducted since the virus outbreak was confirmed in the country, with a positivity rate of 19.7 percent registered on January 3.

Museveni rallies citizens to get vaccinated

The ministry’s statement comes hours after President Museveni on Tuesday received his vaccination booster dose and rallied Ugandans to get fully vaccinated. 
“My doctors, Diana Atwine (Health Ministry P.S) and Dr Magooba, an army officer have just given me a booster dose. Atwine this time brought another clan of vaccine. She said that for the booster to work well, I should get another clan, from the one I had been originally vaccinated with. 
Because I had been vaccinated two times with AtraZeneca, now she has brought the clan of Pfizer. She said when you do that, you get more mobilisation of the body immunity to resist against the virus. They said mixing vaccines is not only alright but even better. So, this is just to alert all of you that you should get fully vaccinated,” Mr Museveni said, a day after the Ministry of Health on Monday confirmed 1,423 new virus cases with 21.6 percent positivity rate.
The president reiterated that he will fully reopen the economy when 22 million Ugandans aged 18 years and above are fully vaccinated.

 “I told you that the efforts we're going to rely on to reopen the economy and society will be full vaccination of 22 million Ugandans who are 18 years and above but also booster doses for the 3.3 million Ugandans aged 50 years and above, a constituency where I very rightfully fit because I am now 50 plus 27,” he said.