There is a high risk of getting infected with Coronavirus if you attend burials in Uganda, Dr. Monic Musenero, the Presidential Advisor on epidemics has Tuesday warned.
She frankly told Ugandans that the numbers of COVID-19 deaths are more than what the government has officially announced because some of the patients who succumb to the disease are not formally recorded since they opt to use private clinics.
She said that Ugandans can fully recover from COVID-19 if patients don’t delay.
“Some of the people first go into private clinics and later come to us when it is too late,” she remarked.
Musenero, heads the committee on epidemics, also sits on the COVID-19 taskforce and also oversees the team of health experts who are working against the clock to find the vaccine of this pandemic in Uganda.
Speaking to NTV on Tuesday morning, Musenero said the raising infections in Kampala alone are affecting other sectors which are still under lockdown, like schools, bars. Airports and others.
She said, government would have opened this sectors but lately the soaring cases continue to be a threat.
“We categorized Uganda into three sectors; Health, Economy and Comfort. It is health first. So anything that threatens the health of our people can’t be tolerated,” she said.
She was responding to a query of whether government is considering instituting a second lockdown.
This scientist added that, President Yoweri Museveni has tasked the experts to study the criteria of reopening all the sectors in the country and a result they will begin with priorities.
Musenero was however, quick to say that in case the environment continues to be ravaged by the virus, there will be no option but to close again.
But she also said that, if only Ugandans can heed to SOPs because at this time, the country is adapting to living with the virus, “respond to health guidelines. Simple things, avoid crowds, wash hands and put in your mask.”
It is at this point that she pointed out funerals as one of the deadly spots of COVID.
Uganda has since registered 32 deaths (official) and 2972 cases of which 1288 have recovered.
