By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
There was panic at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital yesterday, 17th January, 2024 after the hospital administration confirmed it had admitted five patients with Covid-19, as the coronavirus disease picks up steam in the Southwestern Uganda’s Kabale District.
“Since the last week of December 2023 up to January 2024, we have registered 8 cases of covid-19. Currently, five patients are still admitted at the hospital. Many people have flu and cough but very few are coming to hospital for tests,” Dr. Anne Namutebi, a physician at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital revealed on Wednesday.
According to Dr Namutebi, most of the newly infected persons presented with flu-like symptoms, cough, and related conditions, before she called upon the public to protect themselves from contracting the virus since it is still around.
She partly attributed the new Covid cases to the large number of people who were not fully vaccinated while others were completely not vaccinated, noting this could explain the new wave.
The physician expressed disbelief that Covid-19 is likely to persist, comparing it to other influenza viruses adding that the hospital has now designated the medical ward as an isolation center for incoming Covid patients.
“We are hopeful that widespread vaccination will mitigate the impact, but unfortunately, many people in Uganda are not fully vaccinated, and some have not received any vaccination at all. Therefore, we anticipate continued variations of Covid-19 in our community,” she explained.
Alfred Besigensi, the Kabale District Health Educator, stressed the importance of public participation in vaccination and adherence to safety measures. “We urge the public to get vaccinated, practice mask-wearing, use sanitizers, and avoid crowded places to curb the virus’ spread,” he urged.
