The Uganda government began relaxing the anti-coronavirus lockdown in the country on Tuesday after President Yoweri Museveni declared the infection “tamed,” reported Reuters. The lockdown has been in place in Uganda for the last 45 days.
In a televised address on Monday, President Museveni said the government was now better equipped to trace and detect new infections faster. He informed that the country of 42 million reported 97 confirmed cases and no deaths in 45 days of restrictions.
“We have somehow tamed the virus,”the Ugandan president said, adding, “It is high time we … start slowly and carefully to open up, but without undoing our achievements.”
He added that businesses including restaurants, wholesale stores, hardware shops, and others will now be allowed to reopen.
“Since food and essential goods shops operate, there is need to let wholesale dealers to operate,” said Museveni.
But as a precautionary measure, public transport and most private vehicles would still remain prohibited. So this means that workers for reopened businesses will have to commute either by bicycle or on foot. Schools and international borders will also remain shut.
The president said the next level of reopening will be announced after 14 days.
Uganda has tested 3,845 people so far and only 89 have tested positive. Around 33 of the infected patients are foreigners including 12 Tanzanians, 14 Kenyans, 3 Burundians, 1 Canadian, 1 Indian and 2 Chinese. 55 others have recovered from the disease.
The president said the country does not have any coronavirus deaths.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry of Uganda on Monday reported eight new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 97 in the East African country.
According to the ministry’s statement, eight tested positive for the virus out of the 2,246 samples sent for testing at the Uganda Virus Research Institute. Six positive cases are out of 2,061 samples taken from truck drivers, while two cases are from the community.
