President Yoweri Museveni last night ordered a total lockdown in Uganda due to a surge in Covid-19 cases and the resultant recent death of up to 234 Ugandans in the last four weeks.
‘‘All cross-boundary and inter-district movement of public or private transport is banned for 42 days starting June 18 (10 pm local time). The movement of persons needs to be stopped since it is the cornerstone of the rise in cases,’’ President Museveni ordered.
‘‘Only tourists from countries that vaccinated people can come. When we have a situation of about 17 new cases in every 100 tests, then we are in danger,’’ Museveni added. ‘’The airport will remain open but we shall not allow any virus to come in.”
President Museveni said 42 Covid-19 deaths were announced Friday alone, coupled with 1,564 new cases.
‘’There may be more deaths diagnosed by other means. We are aware that the Covid-19 deaths and cases may be more than this,’’ he said.
He told Ugandans in a Friday night televised address that a return to robust measures and a revolutionary approach adopted during the first Covid-19 wave was inevitable.
‘‘When we take measures to prevent, we succeed. This situation was anticipated by the government and hence manageable,’’ he said.
Curfew time has now been revised downward to 7 pm from 9 pm.
‘‘Licenses of those flaunting directives should be terminated forever. Police should impose hefty fines and arrest them,’’ Museveni directed.
Uganda has also been grappling with an oxygen supply shortage due to increased consumption by Covid-19 patients in intensive care and high dependency units.
‘‘The Oxygen is being produced but the cylinders to distribute it are not enough. We shall increase oxygen supply,’’ Museveni said.
Uganda, between 18 May and 18 June 18 recorded 25, 685 new Covid-19 cases.