Uganda: Lockdown Re-Introduced as COVID-19 Cases Rise Again

Ugandan authorities have returned the country to a strict lockdown due to a surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

An exponential increase in cases was predicted just two weeks ago; now, the health ministry announced that 1 259 cases were recorded within a 24-hour time frame.

President Yoweri Museveni laid out the government’s plans during a televised address on Sunday, 6 June, and announced the protective measures to combat an inevitable second wave of COVID-19 infections.

Effective from Monday, 7 June, all bars, cinemas and theatres would be closed. Schools and gatherings would be suspended for a period of 42 days.

However, public transport between districts would be banned only from this Thursday, so as to allow school-going students to return home.

Museveni said that all measures would be assessed over the aforementioned schedule so as to ensure when they would be eased or prolonged.

A new lockdown would test Uganda’s already precarious economic situation that was hit hard when the first nationwide lockdown was initiated in late March last year.

The east African country has confirmed 52 935 cases, with 383 deaths to date – 47 760 people have recovered from contracting the virus.