Director, general health services at the Ministry of Health – Uganda addresses the press on Thursday.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Thursday announced that Uganda has recorded its first COVID-19-related death.
In a statement, director general of health services at MoH, Mr Henry Mwebesa told reporters that the death case is a 34-year-old Ugandan female, resident of Namisindwa district in the eastern part of the country.
Mr Mwebesa stated that before the death, the case presented with COVID-19-like signs and symptoms such as fever, dry cough, headache and difficulty in breathing.
The patient, who was admitted to Wasungui HC II on July 15, was treated for severe pneumonia.
The case was later transferred to Joy Hospice health facility, in Mbale District, and isolated in the female ward.
“While in isolation, the patient’s condition deteriorated with difficulty in breathing, cough, chills and headache. Unfortunately, she passed away on Tuesday,” Mr Mwebesa said.
She was buried on 23rd July 2020 as per Safe Dignified Burial procedures, according to the statement.
“The postmortem samples from the deceased were confirmed positive for SARS-COV-2 by 4 laboratories: UVRI, CPHL, Tororo and Makerere. In addition, findings at postmortem showed features of acute pneumonia; findings that are consistent with COVID-19 infection,” the statement read.
The Namasindwa District Task Force has reportedly been reactivated to coordinate the district response, and so far, thirty ( 30) contacts to the deceased have been listed and placed under quarantine by the health authorities in Namisindwa.
The listed contacts so far include family members, and healthcare workers.
Joyce Moriku, minister of state in charge of primary healthcare earlier told Xinhua after the death was confirmed that Ugandans should follow strict anti-COVID-19 directives.
“People should take preventive measures seriously such as hand washing, social distancing and use of face mask,” the minister said.
Uganda currently has 1,079 cases of COVID-19, 971 recoveries and one death case, according to the ministry of health.
