Government fears citizens have forgotten their role in preventing the spread of the deadly Covid-19 after easing lock down.
President Yoweri Museveni eased the better part of the economy when he addressed the nation a fortnight ago.
Museveni paved way for public transport to return and opened malls plus private cars.
He asked shopping arcades and markets, saloons, bars and night clubs to hold on.
The ease has added numbers into the city and the streets. The ministry of health Wednesday after thorough assessment of the ease and how the population is adhering to the set measures.
According to the minister of health Dr. Ruth Jane Aceng, citizens are ignoring the set measures of social distancing and wearing masks.
Dr. Jane feared the city is crowded and without observing the set measures, the country stands to welcome a second wave of the virus.
She argues that a second wave would be difficult to manage given the resources available in the hospitals in the country.
The minister warned: “It may be necessary to consider another lock down.”
The minister’s warning comes after a visibly furious President Museveni blasted citizens for going careless about the virus.
Museveni castigated: “Today, we are confronted by an enemy worse than the war of bullets that we fought. It is a biological war and the value of discipline cannot be over-emphasised. Without a cure or vaccine for Covid-19, it is our personal discipline that matters most.”
He lashed out: “As we ease the lock-down measures, you have been provided with careful and deliberate guidance by the government. However, it is disheartening to see some people blatantly flout these guidelines.”
The fears of government come at a time when the Covid-19 cases are emerging from the community.
Government had managed the virus at the border point where truck drivers were the main suspects.
However, the recent results coming out of government laboratories show the cases are now within the communities.
The latest results from samples tested on 09 June 2020, the ministry confirmed confirm 8 new COVID-19 cases. The total confirmed cases are now 665 in Uganda.
The community cases were from Kyotera, Kayunga and Amuru. The last one week has cases from Kampala, Arua, Wakiso, Buvuma, Yumbe, Pader, Mayuge, Dokolo, Amolatar, Nakaseke, Buikwe, Tororo, Gomba, Gulu, Nebbi, Zombo, Jinja, Arua and Mbarara.
President Museveni promised masks would be ready for distribution on June 10th. The ministry hit the hot Covid-19 spots first.
According to government, the distribution of masks was launched Wednesday by the 1st Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali. A total of 750,000 face masks will be distributed to communities in the border districts of; Adjumani, Amuru, Kyotera and Rakai. Over 30M masks will be distributed countrywide.
They revealed Wednesday that the mask distribution is part of @GovUganda interventions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The masks are made up of 3 layers; the outer layer is 65% polyester and 35% cotton, middle layer is made up of chiffon while the inner most layer is made of cotton.
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.
