Uganda registers 1st COVID-19 death 💀

A 34 year old Ugandan female and resident of Namisindwa District who presented with COVID like signs and symptoms: fever, dry cough, headache and difficulty in breathing died of the COVID-19, it has been confirmed.

Director General Health Services, Dr. Henry Mwebesa confirmed the news during a presser today evening.

The postmortem samples from the deceased were confirmed positive for SARS-COV-2 by 4 laboratories: UVRI, CPHL, Tororo and Makerere. In addition, findings at postmortem showed features of acute pneumonia; findings that are consistent with COVID-19 infection.

The deceased was initially admitted to Wasungui HC II on Wednesday, 15th July, 2020 and treated for severe pneumonia. 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.

While in isolation, the patient’s condition deteriorated with difficulty in breathing, cough, chills and headache. Unfortunately, she passed on on Tuesday 21st July, 2020 at 2:00am.

She was buried on 23rd July 2020 as per Safe Dignified Burial procedures.

In earlier report, the Ministry had indicated that the deceased was not a Ugandan. Further investigations have since established that she was a Ugandan from Manafwa, Bubulo East, Namabya- Namunyali- Sisongofwa.

The listed contacts so far include family members, and healthcare workers.

The process of contact identification and listing is still ongoing, and we believe the number of contacts may increase as the extensive epidemiological investigation evolves.

The contacts will be monitored daily for fourteen (14) days as per our protocol by district surveillance teams supported by Ministry of Health experts who will be deployed in the district.