Mukono registers 53 Covid cases among health workers

Mukono District officials have registered two Covid-19 cases from 53 confirmed cases of the viral disease amongst health workers over the past 15 months.

The area Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Mr James Nkata: ‘‘Two of the infected health workers succumbed to Covid-19 including the Mukono Laboratory technician, Dr William Mule who died during the firt wave and a theatre assistant at Mukono General hospital Dr Teddy Namuddu who died last month.’’

Available statistics indicate that 10 health workers are now under home based care with two now admitted in hospital but the rest have recovered from the coronavirus.

One of the vaccinated victims who preferred anonymity and is under home based care, told Daily Monitor that working in a general hospital predisposed her to being infected.

‘‘We receive many patients from several parts of the country.

I contracted Covid-19 while on duty in June because we didn’t have sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).’’ She said.

Mukono General Hospital in charge, Dr Geofrey Kasirye, said they ‘‘don't have capacity to handle Covid-19 patients and therefore refer them to Mulago or Namboole Covid treatment centre.’’

According to the July Mukono Covid-19 community report, over 49 Covid-19 fatalities have been confirmed in the district with hundreds of cases.

By the end of June, Uganda had lost more than 15 Doctors to Covid-19 and more than 2,500 cases of Covid-19 infections had been reported among medical workers, according to Dr Richard Idro, the President of Uganda Medical Association.

According to AFP news agency, at least 115,000 health and care workers have died from Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.