There have been no reported cases of the coronavirus in Uganda or Africa but health authorities in the region remain on high alert owing to the rapid spread of the virus.
By Sunday, Chinese health authorities had confirmed that the virus had claimed at least 56 people in China, out of nearly 2,000 confirmed cases. According to the health ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr. Diana Atwine, health workers at Entebbe Airport have stepped up screening in light of infections in multiple countries.
The US, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, France, and Canada are among several countries that have confirmed positive cases of coronavirus infection. The country has instituted travel bans in some regions, banned the sale of wild animals and stepped up tracing of contacts and treatment of confirmed cases.
However, Chinese President, Xi Jinping warned at the Lunar New Year on Saturday that the new virus, traced to Wuhan City in China’s Hubei Province, was accelerating fast. Many countries are racing to trace people who might have come into contact with infected persons, as the new virus reportedly has an incubation period of about two weeks.
Last week, the health minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said health teams at the airport were screening for symptoms such as flue, cough, fever, difficulty in breathing and running nose. The minister said medical teams have been trained to handle the screening process to reduce the risk of transmission from persons jetting in who might be infected.
“Our airport already has thermo scanners in place for purposes of screening. We also have forms that travelers can fill in with questions about the coronavirus,” she explained. She noted that the screening was inevitable considering the increase in travel by Ugandan and Chinese business communities for trade, education, and other purposes.
Wash hands regularly, seek help Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Experts believe that human-to-human transmission is possible with the latest outbreak.
There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus given the name CoV2019, which is spreading in a similar fashion as the 2003 SARS epidemic. That outbreak killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003, with cases in neighboring Asian countries.
The World Health Organisation’s Emergency committee is due to meet soon to decide on whether to declare the epidemic an international health emergency. The health ministry has advised the public to avoid direct contact with persons who exhibit signs of infection and regularly wash hands with soap and water and avoid contact.
Individuals are also advised against touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands and seek medical help if one suspects that they might be infected. Uganda has successfully defended against the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and built a wealth of experience in handling hemorrhagic infections including Marburg.
