By Davis Mugabi

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that currently, there are 85 patients admitted in various public health facilities, 14 of these are in Mbarara Prison.

However, according to Health Minister Dr. Jane Aceng, most (42) of these patients were admitted in the last 7 days.

To-date, the country has registered 130,888 cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which 98,127 have recovered, and 3,274 have succumbed to the disease.

Health Ministry figures show that for the period between October and December 11th 2021, the country had completely controlled the disease.

The country’s positivity rate consistently remained under 5% which is the desirable positivity rate and indicates control of the pandemic. However, in the last two weeks, we began to observe an increase in the numbers of confirmed cases

In the last 14 days of December 2021, we have registered 2,423 confirmed cases, giving an average of 173 cases per day. We have registered 100% increase in cases and positivity in the last 7 days compared to the previous week.

“We notice that most of these cases are in Wakiso 46% (1,107/2,423), followed by Kampala 38% (926/2,423), Kyotera 6% (144/2,423), Tororo 2% (49/2423) and Amuru 1% (37/2,423), among other districts. This increase in cases is being observed mostly in border districts,” Dr. Aceng said while addressing the media in Kampala on Thursday.

Dr. Aceng added: “We have observed that 70% (775/1,107) of the cases registered in Wakiso are mostly incoming travelers through Entebbe International Airport. These travelers are coming from the following countries; Kenya, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo Nigeria and United Kingdom. The confirmed cases registered in other districts are also travelers and truck drivers.”