Districts blame rising Covid cases on returnee learners

Many district authorities have linked the surge in coronavirus cases in their areas over the last two weeks to infected learners who returned from school on June 7.

Many district health officials interviewed by this newspaper say the learners constitute a “substantial” percentage of Covid-19 patients currently undergoing treatment in hospitals or at home.
The learners were sent home on June 7 after President Museveni ordered the closure of all institutions of learning for 42 days as one of the measures to minimise the spread of Covid-19.

The President also said a total of 948 cases of coronavirus were registered in 43 schools from 22 districts.
 In Dokolo, the district health officer (DHO), Dr Samuel Ojok,  said the learners are the main drivers of the Covid-19 community infections in the current second wave.
“We tested many learners and they were positive but they were asymptomatic. So, it means they have become the drivers of the new community infections,” Dr Ojok said. 

In Mbale, the resident district commissioner (RDC), Mr Adonia Matumo Wansadha, said among the confirmed cases were two students.
“The two students came back home infected with Covid- 19 and were put in isolation. They are currently undergoing treatment,” he said.
Bugisu Sub-region, where Mbale District falls, has lost 77 people to Covid-19 in three weeks.

 In Lira, the acting district health officer, Mr Edmond Aceka, said 29 students of Lira School of Comprehensive Nursing and Midwifery tested positive for the virus.
“The students were not allowed to go home for fear of transmitting the virus to their family members. The students who went home without being subjected to the Covid-19 test could be one of the reasons for rising community cases,” he said.
Dr Wilson Etolu, the in-charge of the Covid-19 treatment unit at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, said scores of students and teachers have also tested positive for coronavirus.

 Ms Angella Akello, a parent whose child tested positive for Covid-19, said her daughter has so far spent eight days on treatment at Soroti hospital.
In Tororo, the RDC, Mr Nickson Owole, said majority of schools had concealed the positive cases.
“We have had numerous cases where parents of the learners have also tested positive, meaning that the virus was transported by the returnee learners,” he said.
 In Masaka, Ms Agnes Namusooke, a parent, said she had been treating her daughter at home since she tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from school on June 7.

“I am happy that she is responding to the treatment and I hope by the end of week, she will be better,” Ms Namusooke said. 
Dr Nathan Onyachi, the director of Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, said in their free testing exercise, they have prioritised learners and that many have responded. 

Daily Monitor learnt that at least 200 people are tested for Covid -19 daily at the facility, of whom 60 turn out to be positive. 
In Karamoja, most learners who returned from various schools in Kampala and tested positive were put in isolation centres.  Mr Peter Loumo, a parent in Nakapiripirit District, said his son was put in an isolation centre in Moroto after testing positive for Covid-19. 

In Bunyangabu, the DHO, Dr Richard Obeti, said some of Covid-19 patients who are under home-based care are students from school.  The district has about 117 Covid-19 cases .
The Kamwenge District health officer, Dr William Mucunguzi, also confirmed that students are part of 179 cases of Covid-19 under isolation in the district.
The Kabale acting DHO, Mr Alfred Besigensi, said before the schools were closed, students from different institutions had tested positive for Covid-19.

 “Of the 112 cases recorded in the district, there were students. I am not yet sure of how many have been discharged,” Mr Besigensi said.
In Gulu, 183 positive cases were found from the 861 learners who were returning from schools in Kampala and other districts. The district health educator,  Dr Willian Onyaii, said the affected students are in a stable condition.
In Rubirizi District, of the 150 coronavirus cases, 35 are students.

Compiled by Fred Wambede, Bill Oketch, Steven Ariong, Joseph Omollo, Olivier Mukaaya, Simon Peter Emwamu, Alex Ashaba, Robert Muhereza, Malik Fahad Jjingo &Polycap Kalokwera, Bandiho Milton and Felix Ainebyoona