The Ministry of Health has dismissed claims that the Infectious Diseases Institute on Friday evacuated a suspected coronavirus patient from downtown Kampala.
“The Ministry of Health surveillance teams yesterday, Friday 13th March 2020 received an alert from Royal Complex of a lady suspected to have COVID-19 infection. The alert was raised by workers at the premise who indicated that the lady had remained locked in her room for about one week without coming out,” the Ministry said in a statement dated March 14, 2020.
“Contrary to the various social media posts that have been circulating, the Ministry of Health would like to clarify that our teams used a vehicle and ambulance belonging to Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) to approach the said premises.”
The Ministry also said upon reaching the said room, a lady occupant revealed that she was undergoing self-quarantine as any other person who has just returned from the flagged high-risk countries with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The team’s assessment found out this lady had no signs and symptoms but recommended she completes her period of self-quarantine. They will continue monitoring her until when she gets a certificate of completing Self-quarantine.”
Meanwhile the Infectious Diseases Institute has also since reiterated that it didn’t evacuate any suspected patient from downtown, Kampala
“The Ministry of Health has not registered any case of COVID-19. Let’s remain vigilant and calm but refrain from spreading false rumours.”
On the other hand, Crane Management Services, a Ruparelia Group company that manages the building released a statement as the false social media news had caused an unnecessary scene at their premises.
“We would like to clarify that the social media stories making rounds about a confirmed case of CORVID 19 (Corona Virus) in a building owned by the Ruparelia Group are totally false,” the press release, signed by Prabhat Mishra, the Crane Management Services General Manager read.
“Crane Management Services Limited would like to clarify that the social media posts in question are full of falsehoods and relay a misconstrued set of facts.”
Mr Mishra went on to state the facts that the trader in question returned from China, the Corona Virus hotbed a couple of weeks ago and she duly observed the guidelines recommended by the Ministry of Health by subjecting herself to self-isolation. The recommended self-isolation period for anyone coming from a country listed as “high risk” is two weeks.
“Since her return, she has never exhibited any signs or symptoms of the deadly Corona Virus. To our shock and dismay, a section of the public descended into unfounded suspicion and created an unnecessary scene at the building,” the Crane Management Services statement read.
So far there are more than 100 cases recorded in 12 countries in Africa, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization. The numbers are not scary as has been the case in China where the virus started last December, before ravaging other countries such as Italy, France, South Korea, Iran, USA among others.
Egypt remains the African nation with the most reported cases with 59, more than half of all confirmed cases on the continent.
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