Africa-Press – Uganda. Tension is high in Masaka District following the new strain of Covid-19 that has so far claimed four people in a week.
“We have lost at least 4 people to the deadly virus since Monday last week. This is the highest number of deaths we have registered since last year,’’ Masaka Regional Hospital Director, Dr Nathan Onyachi confirmed.
Amongst the deceased is a 45 year-old grade one magistrate at Masaka Magistrates Court- while the rest are also male adults.
‘‘I urge people to continue being vigilant and follow standard operating procedures before the situation worsens,’’ he warned.
Dr Onyachi says the hospital’s treatment unit is currently having seven patients who are receiving treatment and four of the cases are severe.
He said 145 other patients are receiving treatment under the home-based care programme.
A total of 222 patients have been discharged while cumulative admissions in hospital are of up to 257 people.
Masaka District Health Officer, Dr Faith Nakiyimba said that the situation has worsened at a time when the district has run out of Covid-19 supplies.
She said though they managed to vaccinate at least 7,334 people past the projected-at least-6,950 people given the doses the district had received, many residents missed out during the first phase of the vaccination exercise.
“We properly used the doses we got in that even the extras that are supposed to cater for a fault a health worker may incur in the process were utilized,” She added.
Dr Nakiyimba said they reported the matter to the ministry of health.
“We hope they can secure us some doses before the month ends,” she said.
Background
In April, Masaka recorded seven fresh covid-19 cases in just over two weeks after several weeks without registering any new case.Masaka Regional Referral Hospital has since March last year recorded at least 224 cases of covid-19, 209 patients recovered while 11 were referred to Mulago National referral hospital after developing acute breathingcomplications. At least 34 fatalities have been recorded.
Four deaths reported in the last one week raise the district’s death toll to 38 people since the Coronavirus outbreak was confirmed in Wuhan 2019.
