By Solomon Hamala
Kaliro
Kaliro district headquarters has been closed down after 78 government employees tested positive to COVID 19 virus.
The resident district commissioner Kaliro, Billy Mulindwa said the district COVID 19 task force instructed all the district political and technical staff to undergo compulsory tests after some three top officials developed symptoms. He said after the tests, they discovered that over half had tested positive.
Mulindwa who is also the chairperson COVID 19 task force said all the employees who tested positive had been instructed to undergo isolation to avoid interacting with members of the public in a bid to curb infections.
“We have asked the employees to self isolate themselves within their homesteads because they pause a great threat to the public in case they move around, “she said.
She said the district headquarters will only be re-opened after instructions from the ministry of health which will carry out the fumigation of the entire premises.
“Since over half of the technical and political staff are away after contracting the COVID 19 virus work is likely to resume after a long period since we are not certain when they will recover, ”she said.
Mulindwa said six people have died in the district within a period of one week due to COVID 19 while 22 others are admitted at the Namugongo isolation unit in Namugongo Sub County after results tested positive to COVID 19 virus.
She attributed the spike in COVID 19 cases in the district on the reluctance by locals to observe standard operating procedures while in public besides failure to wear face masks.
“People up to now still think that the disease is political not knowing they could be potential victims at one time or another, “she said.
Sugested solutions
Mulindwa said security personnel are to conduct operations in rural areas to arrest people believed to be violating the presidential directives on curfew hours besides dispersing crowds found at burial ceremonies or social gatherings.
She said some people have also taken advantage of the absence of security personnel in rural areas to gather in big numbers during burial ceremonies or social gatherings a move likely to hike COVID 19 infections.
The LC 5 chairman Kaliro, Elija Kagoda urged politicians to sensitize locals about the dangers of overcrowding especially in trading centers besides encouraging them to wear face masks avoid contracting COVID 19 virus.
“This disease is real and its killing people on a daily basis”he said
Kagoda said the situation is likely to get out of control for the health workers in case number of patients grows higher.
“The situation is likely to grow worse if the number is great due to the shortage of health workers,”he said.
The district health officer kaliro, Doctor Allan Katamba urged members of the public to report persons with COVID 19 symptoms to health workers or local council officials for necessary action.
