Uganda’s Covid-19 cases now stand at 1203, with five deaths reported. As the numbers rise, government warns that a lockdown could be re-instituted if people do not follow guidelines put in place by the Ministry of Health to avert the spread of the disease.
Minister for ICT and National Guidance Judith Nabakooba says that government is not interested in instituting another lockdown, but actions of Ugandans could force them to go that direction in order to save lives.
“We have sensitized the masses, but they are not following the guidelines. People started relaxing because our numbers were low, and people were not dying,” Nabakooba said while appearing on a TV show yesterday.
“People had relaxed thinking they are far away from Coronavirus and we are now getting community cases,” she said.
“Our health system will be overwhelmed if we do not do the right thing,” she added.
Among the guidelines is mandatory wearing of masks in public places but only a small section of the population adheres to this. Nabakooba said government has so far distributed 13m masks and asks those who haven’t yet received government masks to improvise.
Apart from not wearing masks, while bars remain closed, several people post videos in crowded bars with some sarcastically asking; “what is Corona?”
“If peace fails, government will enforce the Covid-19 measures,” Nabakooba warned.