Uganda faces lockdown due to third wave of COVID-19
By Angela Nyakuni
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday, March 26th announced reviewed Coronavirus measures, 14 days after his last speech on the COVID-19.
Uhuru announced cessation of all movement into and out of five counties: Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu, Nakuru, said to be disease infected areas, effective midnight.
Since Kenya is the immediate neighbour to Uganda; there is much likelihood that Uganda will adopt similar measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
This week the government of Uganda confirmed the registration of Covid-19 cases with the South African strain B1 351 and Nigerian variant B.1.525.
The two variants are said to be more contagious than the usual virus. While speaking to the press, Prof Pontiano Kaleebu, the executive director of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), said a few people have been reported with these strains adding that for now, Ugandans should not be worried.
Asked whether these strains will have an effect on the Covid-19 vaccine, Prof Kaleebu said they will continue watching and tracking.
Uganda rolled out its vaccination campaign against Covid-19 and by March 23, at least 32,526 people had been vaccinated, according to Ministry of Health data.
This comes a month after the country registered a different strain, A3, which was first seen in some infected people in northern Uganda. However, this strain has also been reported in other countries in Europe, USA, and Rwanda.
The lockdown prohibits in-person classes at schools, as well as universities and colleges, these would be stopped, except for those sitting exams or people at medical training facilities.
Sporting activities will be stopped and bars in the five counties would be shuttered. The sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants would also be restricted.
A lockdown to halt the rising death rate and number of hospitalised was need to “avert a national health crisis”, according to the Kenyan leader.
Meetings or gatherings in the counties concerned by the measures would be prohibited, including cabinet meetings and sessions of parliament.