Ntungamo District covid-19 Taskforce chaired by the Resident District Commissioner, George Bakunda has ordered the closure of all Matooke (banana) markets in Rubaare and Rugarama sub counties, Rushenyi County following a 35-year-old Ugandan cargo truck driver who tested positive for covid-19.
The positive patient was intercepted in Kyabirara daily banana Market in Rugarama Sub County On Thursday last week.
The decision was reached following a meeting between the market leadership and the District covid-19 Taskforce to determine the fate of banana traders who came into contact with the truck driver.
The closed daily matooke markets are Kacereere, Kyabirara, Omungyenyi, Rubaare, Nyanga, Kyempene, Kanyehunde, Katungamo and Kagugu.
According to Rugarama sub county chief Birungi Sharon Muhangi, the sub county has been collecting taxes worth Shs 9.5 million on monthly basis from both Kyabirara and Katungamo markets before the lockdown.
Birungi advised the business community to stay at their farms or banana plantations so that the traders can get banana from there instead of opening the market to spread the disease.
The Ntungamo district health officer Dr Bakamuturaki Richard noted that the positive truck driver who hails from Jinja crossed into Uganda through Mirama Hills border on the way from Rwanda last week and was allowed to proceed to Ntungamo waiting for the results from Mutukula border post.
The truck driver had a Rwandese negative Covid-19 certificate but he underwent another testing which turned positive, but had already reached the banana market. He was swiftly evacuated to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for better management.
Dr Bakamuturaki also confirmed that 40 contacts (seven females and 33 males) have been quarantined at Ntungamo Health training Institute Nyarutuuntu for a mandatory 14 days since they had come into contact with COVID-19 patients.
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