COVID-19 Updates

Beijing, China | Xinhua | A China-made aerosolized adenovirus vector COVID-19 vaccine has proved safe in phase-1 clinical trials. The adenovirus type-5 vector-based COVID-19 vaccine (Ad5-nCoV) was jointly developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, and other Chinese institutions. Previous work in animal models has …

  Jerusalem, Israel | Xinhua | Israel is expected to start vaccinating its elder citizens with a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19, according to a statement by the country’s Ministry of Health on Thursday. A vast majority of its Management Team of Epidemics recommended vaccinating the elderly, but …

Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | The global number of new COVID-19 cases is on the increase, with 3.8 million new infections confirmed in the week between July 19 and July 25, and a “sharp” jump has been reported in the number of deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. …

Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | American biopharmaceutical company Pfizer said on Wednesday that a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine can “strongly” boost protection against the Delta variant. Antibody levels against the Delta variant in people aged 18 to 55 who receive a third dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are greater …

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Districts in the West Nile region are struggling to manage the Covid-19 pandemic due to lack of ambulances. Following the resurgence of the second wave of the coronavirus, some of the districts require referral of patients to Arua and Mulago national referral hospital. In the …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has blamed the 10th Parliament for delaying the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, even as the country struggled to beat the pandemic during the first wave. The Government Chief Whip Thomas Tayebwa told the NRM Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons of the different Parliamentary …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The lockdown has been a success in reducing the number of Covid-19 infections in the country. This is according to the Ministry of Health. Last month, President Museveni announced several measures including the closure of schools, suspension of religious gatherings and transport between districts, for …

Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | The French Government has donated to Uganda an assortment of personal protective equipment, testing kits and respirators to boost the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The donation worth about €2.7 million (Shs 10.8bn) includes 1,000,000 FFP2 masks, 54,600 antigen testing kits and nine …

Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Tanzania has received the first shipment of 1,058,400 doses of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the US government. The vaccines delivered through the COVAX arrangement arrived at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salam on July 26 under the watchful eyes of Donald …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health has accredited seven laboratories to test migrant workers for Covid-19. The selected laboratories are MBN Laboratory, MAIA Group labs, Makerere University hospital, Test and Fly and City Medicals Laboratory. Others are Same Day Lab and Safari Laboratory (at Entebbe Airport). Last …