Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Virus Research Institute has sent four suspected samples of monkeypox to South Africa. The samples were picked from suspected patients in Kampala who presented with some symptoms of the disease like headaches and rashes. Monkeypox is a viral disease caused by the orthopoxvirus. It …
Read More »Scientists uncertain about Uganda’s own Covid-19 vaccine
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Scientists have said it is too early for them to tell when Uganda will soon have its own COVID-19 vaccine, contradicting President Yoweri Museveni’s revelations earlier that Uganda will have its own vaccine soon. While speaking at the opening of the World Health Summit, Museveni …
Read More »UVRI undertaking study to test effectiveness of AstraZeneca
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Virus Research Institute is undertaking a study to research the effectiveness of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines among vaccinated people. Uganda in its first phase of vaccination decided to use the AstraZeneca vaccine due to its low price and easy storage. However, due to …
Read More »UVRI boss moots for private sector inclusion as Africa pursues own Covid-19 vaccine
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Researches for COVID-19 vaccines are very risky, Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Executive Director Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu has warned saying while funders inject in lots of cash, they can’t guarantee that they will have a product at the end of the study. This follows a meeting …
Read More »COVID-19: UVRI’s most tense phase in almost a century
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu, the Director of Uganda Virus Research Institute-UVRI says testing samples for COVID-19 tremendously increased the institution’s publicity. But it was also the most tense phase in memorable history since the institute was established nearly a hundred years ago. UVRI is a national, …
Read More »1,600 volunteers to participate in first HIV vaccine trial
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than one thousand volunteers have been enrolled to participate in another version of the HIV vaccine trial conducted by Ugandan scientists at the Medical Research Council-MRC. The new HIV vaccine known as “PrEPVacc” is being tested for its efficacy in the prevention of HIV, …
Read More »New study to establish workers perceptions about COVID-19 vaccine
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A total of 800 health workers are being recruited to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine study in which the researchers will access their knowledge about the vaccine. Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu, the Executive Director of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), the agency conducting the research …
Read More »Health ministry gets greenlight for COVID-19 antigen tests
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda is set to start using the Rapid Antigen Detection Test (RADT) for COVID-19, according to the Uganda Virus Research Institute-UVRI. The test was given emergency use status by the World Health Organisation last month. The test is a rapid point-of-care swab test that directly …
Read More »UVRI, national lab explain fake COVID-19 results
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Amidst complaints about discrepancies in the coronavirus (COVID-19) results offered at different accredited laboratories, the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) that supervises accredited labs in the country now requires any person that tests positive but with a low viral load to do a …
Read More »UVRI accredited among COVID-19 reference laboratories in Africa
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has been accredited by the World Health Organization-WHO as one of the COVID-19 reference laboratories in Africa. The laboratory which is spearheading COVID-19 testing in the country is one of eight laboratories that were accredited as reference laboratories …
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