Sharp rise in Covid cases raises alarm

Plans to fully reopen the economy remain on track despite a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases, a minister said yesterday.

Ms Margaret Muhanga, the State Minister for Primary Healthcare, confirmed official data showing a dramatic rise in infections, driven primarily by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus. 

The test positivity rate, a key metric, jumped from 0.6 percent two weeks ago to 4.4 percent on December 17. On December 4, 34 out of 5,301 samples tested came back positive. On December 17 297 out of 6,680 tested positive.
“I want to warn you that Covid-19 is still with us,” Ms Muhanga said. 

“By last week, the numbers have started creeping up again. As we speak today, we are testing 200 people positive daily in the last four to five days.

“By the time we reach Christmas when you all take off your masks, you meet your family members, take pictures with the older people, kindly help us get them vaccinated first before you get to the village,” she said.

The Director of General of Health Services, Dr Henry Mwebesa, in a December 17 statement said they have detected 18 new cases of the omicron variant from incoming travellers from Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria between November 28 and 29. 

He said they had not yet confirmed secondary cases in Uganda.
“The number of detected Omicron cases has since increased to 25 cases up from the seven cases initially confirmed by the Ministry of Health on December 7th,” he said. 

Dr Mwebesa appealed to “the public to remain vigilant and maintain the highest level of adherence to the standard operating procedures during the festive season”.

About 129,319 Ugandans have been infected by the virus since the pandemic broke out, and 3,200 have died from it, according to official data. 

About nine million Ugandans have so far received one or two vaccines, less than half of the target of vaccinating 22 million to contain the pandemic. 

Ms Muhanga said 19 million of 30 million vaccine doses acquired through purchase or donations have been dispatched to districts.

Prof Pontiano Kaleebu, the director of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), said: “Covid vaccines go a long way in preventing severe disease, hospitalisation and death, but it is not the only way. People have to do other interventions including treatment in case people get sick. Recipients of some vaccines like Pfizer may need to get the third dose for better protection against omicron.”