All Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) and Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) must carry out media sensitization about COVID-19 and inspect all public places in their areas to enforce all Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs), a directive from the office of the president says.
The directive follows a rise in COVID-19 cases in the country, with records from the health ministry showing that over 5,400 cases of COVID-19 were reported between December 20 and December 26, 2021, yet still, modelling by the National Planning Authority indicates that more than 8,000 new infections of the disease would have been reported in the next two weeks.
According to the Health Ministry, the spike in infections is linked to the new Omicron COVID-19 variant which is believed to be more infectious than other variants.
The ability of Omicron to transmit easily has resulted in a flood of new patients heading into the hospital for treatment.
According to Emmanuel Ainebyoona the spokesperson ministry of health, Mulago has 40 patients COVID19 patients, out of which 28 are in HDU and 12 in ICU.
As a means to curb the spread of the disease, Milly Babirye Babalanda the minister in charge of the presidency has ordered all RCCs and RDCs together with their deputies to take action to stop the disease from spreading further.
"Following the escalation in a number of COVID-19 Omicron cases you are hereby directed to undertake massive Radio sensitizations and to inspect public places to ensure that SOPs are being observed," reads Babalanda’s statement.
Last week, the minister of health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng in her national address cautioned the public to remain vigilant and to adhere to SOPs during the festive season as a means to curb the spread of the disease.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to give his end of year address tomorrow Friday 31st December 2021, and lift the lockdown on the rest of the economy as earlier.
