Four quarantined in Uganda over virus

Four foreigners suspected of being infected with the coronavirus (Covid-19) have been quarantined in Uganda, with virus tests currently underway.

In a statement, the country’s Ministry of Health spokesperson Emmanuel Ainebyoona said yesterday the four were being quarantined at Entebbe Hospital, about 40km south of Kampala.

Mr Ainebyoona said the four were singled out upon arrival at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport by surveillance teams after presenting flu and cough symptoms.

“Samples have been collected and are being tested at Uganda Virus Research Institute,” he said. “The Ministry of Health will inform the public accordingly.”

Ainebyoona urged the public to remain calm and take preventive measures, adding that there are no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the east African country as of yet.

On Friday, the ministry said tests from 10 people who had presented signs and symptoms similar to that of Covid-19 all returned negative.  

And Egypt’s Health ministry and the World Health Organisation announced in a joint statement yesterday that a foreigner had tested positive for the virus.

“That person was taken to an isolation hospital and is currently receiving the necessary medical care,” the ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page.

That person was transferred to a quarantine hospital, Egyptian Health Ministry’s spokesman Khaled Megahed said, adding “the infected case is in stable condition”.

Preventive measures

The ministry is “currently taking strict preventive measures regarding those who were in contact with the person.”  He added this was the second case of new coronavirus detected in Egypt. The first person has recovered. 

He said the health ministry has raised the utmost degree of readiness in all airports and ports across the country to follow any new developments of the new virus.

Since the outbreak of the epidemic, Egypt has adopted an integrated plan which covers early detection, quarantine and treatment measures, as well as raising public awareness, he added.

On Thursday, Egypt’s only announced case of Covid-19, a foreigner, was discharged from hospital after the quarantine period was over and the case tested negative.  

Meanwhile, Algeria has confirmed two new cases of coronavirus infections, a woman and her daughter aged 53 and 24 years, respectively, the health ministry said yesterday in a statement.

The cases brought to three the number of people infected with the virus in the North African country. The two people were put in isolation in Blida province south of the capital Algiers, the ministry said in a statement.

The woman and her daughter last month hosted an 83-year-old man and his daughter based in France, who tested positive for the virus.