The Minister of Information and National Guidance Hon Judith Nabakooba has said that government of Uganda has noted with concern the extremely dangerous signs of complacency and indiscipline that have started to emerge with regard to the existing guidelines on COVID-19.
When the country first went into lockdown on March 18, the country did so well and managed to put in place measures that prevented a major outbreak of COVID-19.
“It was on the basis of this good performance from everyone and the general public that the country started to open up.
Moderate public and private transport was reintroduced, general merchandise shops and malls were also allowed to reopen.
However, just after opening, the country has started to record an increase in community infections. The Ministry of Health tells us that clusters of community infections have started to emerge and these are now a bigger threat than even the truckers,” Nabakooba explained in detailed statement.
She said the country is experiencing a steady rise in the number of locally transmitted cases in now 33 districts with Amuru and Kyotera districts are reporting the highest number of local transmission cases in comparison to other districts.
“The biggest concern for government at the moment is that community infections have started to rise and yet majority of the people no longer want to put into practice the existing guidelines on prevention of COVID-19.
Some of the dangerous practices that we are observing are as follows:
Majority of People coming into towns and other public places do not want to put on their masks Trading in some of the key markets and zones such as Kikuubo, Kalerwe, Kasubi and also in other towns is happening without a form of social distancing.”
She added that government noted with concern that a number of young people, teenagers, students who had not seen their friends since the lockdown have now started to converge in key public places, they are hugging, consuming alcohol and socializing with total disregard to the existing advisories.
The Ministry of Health is also telling government that unless something is done quickly, the country is soon moving to the final and most dangerous stage of widespread community transmission.