Uganda can flatten its COVID-19 infection curve if strict adherence to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) is maintained, experts have said.
While appearing on UBC TV on Saturday, the members of the COVID-19 scientific committee revealed that to flatten the country’s COVID-19 curve without going into another lockdown, 70% of Ugandans need to always wear masks properly while the remaining 30% observe social distancing whenever out in public.
We have the tools and we can mask our way to freedom if we did the right thing,” she noted. She was appearing on TV together with Dr Misaki Wayengera, the chairperson of the scientific committee; Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu, the executive director Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and Prof. Wilson Muhwezi, a community health expert.
Wayengera said currently, over 1,000 health workers have been infected and 14 have died.
She added that all the high dependence units and intensive care units are full. Therefore, it is now upon individuals to protect themselves and the frontline health workers.
The experts said case number is an underestimate since the ministry is only testing those who show up with symptoms.
They noted that there are many more people out in the communities who are infected but do not know because they are asymptomatic.
“These numbers are an underestimate because when you are testing people largely based on those who have symptoms, then you are picking the tip of the iceberg.
The ministry changed its testing protocol a few months ago, limiting it to only health workers, symptomatic persons and their contacts because the testing kits are expensive.
Uganda is currently at a stage where the virus has spread in communities and its source cannot be traced.
The scientists project that if the situation continues as it is where people are not adhering to the SOPs, by April 2021, Uganda will have about 100,000 cases and the case fatality rate is likely to go up.
Wanyenze explained that with increased festivities during this period, increased movement and the campaign rallies, the cases will go up.
She said with many people travelling from the urban areas to the villages for Christmas, the infections will reach the old and the most vulnerable groups as well as those with underlying conditions, who are likely to develop severe disease.
“Once it penetrates that category, then we are going to see more deaths. Now, the case fatality rate is 1%, but this will go up like in other countries. We are also overwhelming our system to provide care. The people that need critical care do not have beds,” she said.
The experts warned against politicising COVID-19, noting that the situation is worse than it is seen in numbers.
They noted that much as vaccines are already out, it will take Uganda a while to receive them.
Uganda is currently the third worst country in Africa in cases recorded per day. It is behind South Africa and Morocco.
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