11 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Uganda, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 44.
“Out of 176 samples tested today, 11 were found to be positive” President Museveni reported during his address to the nation on Monday evening.
All the new cases are children of Watoto Church Choir who recently arrived in the country from abroad. All have been in quarantine.
Museveni’s address, the sixth in less than three weeks was meant to provide clarity on drastic measures he issued last night including a night curfew across the country. The measures also include a lockdown including ban on movement of private vehicles and closure of all shops.
Museveni clarified that vehicles for essential workers including bankers, utility service providers and the media will have stickers issued by the Ministry of Works. However, the vehicles must carry only one person.
On weddings, he said the directive maintains the earlier position of limiting the ceremony to only 10 people.
He said there is an outcry for protective gear for health workers, and MOH is making arrangements to procure them, but government is working on an arrangement to have them manufactured in Uganda. He said local factories have capacity to produce face masks, but only want specifications for what is required.
He said the problem of sanitizers is going to be solved locally as some local manufacturers are now producing them locally.
He reiterated his earlier position against ‘opportunistic individuals’ who were risking lives of Ugandans giving out donations to communities, saying it is criminal, and offenders will be charged with attempted murder. Bail will not be allowed for this offense.
He said he deliberately introduced a surprise ban on private vehicles to stop urban-rural exodus of people which puts lives of locals in rural areas at risk of contracting the disease. He however said he has directed police to release vehicles that were impounded yesterday to be released unconditionally.