HEALTH: 3 Chinese nationals isolated in Uganda for monitoring – Coronavirus
Three Chinese nationals have been isolated in Seeta-Mukono for
monitoring, shortly after returning from China as precautionary
measures, following the ministry directive on Coronavirus.
The affected Chinese, all employees of China Star Company returned to the country recently.
They
are part of 220 travellers who have been isolated in different parts of
the country. The move is a preventive measure against the spread of the
virus that has ravaged China and been confirmed in other countries.
The isolation takes two weeks after which if there are no symptoms, the isolated person is allowed to interact freely.
However, their confinement left several of their co-workers in panic.
Mr
Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health spokesperson said that they
are closely monitoring all travellers from China, the origin of
coronavirus and other countries affected.
“Anyone
who returns to Uganda from China or any other affected country is
supposed to be put under mandatory confinement of at least 14 days just
for observation. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to show any
signs or symptoms of the virus. The management of China Star Factory
just confined three Chinese who had returned from China following the
Ministry’s directive but there is no cause for alarm. They are part of
the group that’s being monitored by the ministry,” Mr Ainebyona said.
On
Monday, Ugandans including the UNAIDS Executive Director, Ms Winnie
Byanyima, used various social media platforms to accuse Health ministry
officials of taking the coronavirus threat lightly by failing to
thoroughly screen people who visit Uganda, to identify those who could
be infected.
However, Mr Ainebyona said that they installed a
scanner at Entebbe Airport which checks the temperature of all
travellers whether from China or any other country.
He said their surveillance team only isolates people with high temperatures for further attention.
The
virus officially named COVID-19 –that emerged in central China at the
end of last year has so far killed more than 1,300 people and spread
around the world.
Latest figures from China show there are nearly 60,000 people infected in the country.
Outside
mainland China, there have been at least 565 infections reported in
around 30 locations. There have been two deaths, one in the Philippines
and the other in Hong Kong.
Here are the areas where COVID-19, the virus’s official designation, has been confirmed:
CHINA
As of Thursday, nearly 60,000 people have been infected across China, the majority in and around Wuhan.
Most
of the 1,355 who have died in China were in that region, but officials
have confirmed multiple deaths elsewhere, including the capital Beijing.
The fatalities include a US citizen — believed to be the first confirmed death of a foreigner.