Uganda registers first Covid-19 death

Author: Daniel Danis | Published: Thursday, July 23, 2020

Uganda's medical staff and frontline workers. PHOTO//Facebook/Ministry of Health- Uganda

A 34-year-old woman has become the first victim to succumb to the coronavirus in Uganda, the country’s Ministry of Health has said.

She was first admitted for fever, dry cough, headache and difficulty in breathing.

The country’s Ministry of Health reported that postmortem samples from the deceased were confirmed positive for SARS-COV-2 by 4 laboratories: UVRI, CPHL, Tororo and Makerere.

In a press briefing on Thursday, the Ministry noted that the resident of Namisindwa District who presented Covid-like signs and symptoms died in isolation on Tuesday 21st July 2020 at 2:00 am.

“The deceased was initially admitted to Wasungui HC II on Wednesday, 15th July 2020 and treated for severe pneumonia,” said Dr Henry G. Mwebesa, Director General Health Services.

The patient’s condition was said to have deteriorated with difficulty in breathing, cough, chills and headache.

“However, on Monday, 20th July 2020, she was transferred to Joy Hospice health facility in Mbale District where she was isolated in the female ward,” Dr. Mwebesa added.

The findings at postmortem showed features of acute pneumonia that are consistent with Covid-19 infection.

The Ministry said the deceased was buried on 23rd July 2020 as per Safe Dignified Burial procedures.

Uganda had, until today, managed to keep its cases low and witnessed no deaths since detecting the virus on 21st March 2020.

It remains the only country in the horn of Africa with least community infections and more patient recoveries.

It has registered 1,079 cumulative confirmed cases and a total of 971 Ugandan recoveries.

Its neighbour South Sudan -which was the last country in East Africa to register coronavirus cases -has doubled the number of cases in Uganda. Its cumulative figure stands at 2,258 cases, 45 deaths and 1,185 recoveries.

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