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Uganda’s COVID-19 cases could increase when lockdown is lifted-Scientists

A trader’s temperature being measured in Kampala.

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Scientists are concerned that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Uganda will increase after the lockdown is lifted.

The scientists who are part of the national task force say that is it inevitable for the number of confirmed cases to rise when the lockdown is lifted because Ugandans who are currently in their homes now will have the opportunity to mix and hence spread the disease.

Dr Misaki Wayengera, the head of the COVID-19 Scientific committee on the National Task Force says that the number of confirmed cases will increase and even double the moment the lockdown is lifted.

As of today, Uganda has some of the lowest COVID-19 confirmed figures within the East African Community bloc. Neighbors Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda have recorded; 480, 435 and 255 cases respectively.

Countries like Germany and Ghana have shown an increase in the number of cases once the lockdown was lifted.

On the day the lockdown was lifted in Germany on April 20, the number of confirmed cases in the country stood at 1,018. The next day, with 126 increase in cases, the number stood at 1,144 cases. At the time that Ghana lifted its lockdown on April 19, the country had a total of 1,042 cases. 11 days after the number of confirmed cases stands at 1,671.

At the beginning of April 2020, case modelling that was carried out by the ministry of health predicted that if the country had not put in place preventive measures, the country would have recorded a total of 18,878 confirmed cases and 566 deaths by April 13, 2020. At the time, the number of confirmed cases in the country stood at 44.

The World Health Organisation has advised countries to lift lockdowns after they have put in place necessary measures to handle new infections. Dr Wayengera says that Uganda has used its lockdown to prepare for what might come next.

Prof Wanyenze says that there are several things Uganda needs to have in place before the lockdown can be lifted. At the moment she highlights the reduction of imported cases as something the country needs to address.

President Yoweri Museveni is scheduled to address the country on Monday whether the country’s lockdown will be lifted or extended.

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