By Solomon Hamala
In Iganga
Residents of Iganga have been thrown into panic after a 38 year old businessman tested positive for COVID 19 virus.
The businessman who has been operating along Saaza road in Iganga municipality was first isolated two days back after developing clinical symptoms to COVID 19 virus.
The Assistant District Health Officer, Karim Muluya said blood samples that were taken from the businessman to the Uganda Virus Research Institute indicated he was positive.
Muluya said investigations are underway to establish which contacts the businessman could have interacted with for isolation.
“We want to know which exact people he could have interacted with before so that they can be isolated because they pose a threat to the public,” he said.
He urged members of the public to continue exercising standard operating procedures like wearing face masks, washing their hands frequently, and maintaining social distance while in public places as some of the ways of containing the spread of COVID 19 virus.
Muluya said the businessman is currently undergoing treatment at the COVID 19 isolation center at Iganga main hospital.
“His situation is not serious and we expect he will be able to overcome the disease,” he said.
The businessman brings to three confirmed cases of COVID 19 virus from Iganga district with earlier cases of an eight month old baby and a 45 year old taxi driver all residents of Iganga municipality.
According to a trader in Kayoola market along Saaza road who preferred anonymity, the businessman arrived from Busia Kenya last week where he normally buys his merchandise before developing symptoms similar to those of COVID 19 virus.
The source said a big number of traders in the same market are at a high risk since the businessman who tested positive always interacted with a big number while playing Ludo game during evening hours after work.
The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Iganga, Eva Kwesiga who is the chairperson of the district COVID 19 task force expressed concern over the negligence by some locals in following presidential guidelines.
Kwesiga said some people are reluctant to wear face masks or maintain social distance while in public a move that’s likely to put their lives at risk of contracting COVID 19 virus.
The LC 5 chairman Iganga, Patrick Kayemba said 24 people are currently in quarantine at the Busoga university isolation center after developing symptoms similar to COVID 19 virus.
Kayemba cautioned opposition politicians against misleading the public by claiming COVID 19 virus does not exist saying they risk being arrested and prosecuted before courts of law.
“People should be aware that the disease is real and it kills,” he said.
