KABAROLE/KASESE – The number of people with COVID-19 in Kabarole has increased to 23, leaving the district task force with no option other than resorting to home-based management.
Brian Kisembo, the COVID-19 Incident Manager in Kabarole, says that so far, Fort Portal regional referral hospital has accumulated 57 Covid-19 patients and of these, 46 have been discharged..
Kisembo says two deaths from the virus have been registered.
He says that most of the cases are now community cases and has asked the residents of Kabarole and Fort Portal Tourism City to be extra careful by following the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures at all times.
“This is very serious to see that we have started to register cases among health workers and now we have resorted to preventive measures such that we can stop the spread of covid-19 by encouraging people to put on masks, wash hands and observe social distance.” Mr Kisembo said.
He, however, says that as they do their best to prevent the spread of the novel virus, several challenges are frustrating their efforts. He explains that they lack funding and transport to do the surveillance job
He also says the health facilities are lacking the Personal Protective Equipment – PPE, something that is partly blamed for the 14 health workers that have since tested positive for the deadly disease.
As one of the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the district, the Kabarole district LC V, Richard Rwabuhinga, on Tuesday flagged off the distribution of 267,000 masks to the public.
Rwabuhinga says that of the targeted 300,000 beneficiaries, some are learners in candidate classes and have since received two masks each.
He is optimistic that each person who is eligible to get a mask will have one but asked the public members to wash them regularly to avoid infections.
Festus Bandeeba, the Kabarole Deputy Residents District Commissioner and COVID-19 taskforce chairperson, says that government is in the final stages of flagging off the distribution of PPE.
