Over 67 Ugandan students stuck in China After Coronavirus Outbreak
An estimated total of up to 67 Ugandan students is believed to be stranded in the coronavirus – stricken Chinese city of Wuhan.
Sources in China indicate that a group of Ugandans are stuck in Wuhan with no communication from the Ugandan Embassy in China.
Further sources say that the group received a message from a representative from the Ugandan Embassy in China directing them to abide with any laws and guidelines put forward by the Chinese government.
However, the information shows that no one infected among them but the group is, however, living in suspicion and fear that they might get infected with the strong virus.
The government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health stated on Wednesday afternoon where they noted that they had met with Chinese Medical Team in Uganda and resolved that Chinese and Ugandan nationals in China should delay their return and those in Uganda should be stopped from travelling to China until the situation is under control.
The ministry also noted that they are also working with the National Task Force and the Civil Aviation Authority to coordinate preparedness and response activities and making sure that all airport staff are aware of the risk of the virus.
According to Robert Tomusange, the leader of Ugandan students in China said that they have been able to get some help from their universities, which offered them free facemasks and had carried several temperature checks.
Uganda has over 400 students in China and only 67 of these study and lives in Wuhan which is currently being heavily quarantined at the moment.
Wuhan is the centre of the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus that has according to Chinese health authorities claimed lives of 170 people with over 7,711 confirmed cases in China as of 29, January 2020.
Sources indicate that by Wednesday, January 29, 2020 authorities in China had put in place hotlines particularly to help foreigners living in Wuhan city to access help and assistance.
According to BBC, there have also been several other voluntary evacuations of hundreds of foreign nationals from Wuhan to help people who want to leave the closed-off city and return to their countries.
These will, however, stay quarantined for two weeks to be monitored.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) through their Director-General Tedros Adhanom announced that they would meet today on Thursday afternoon to decide on whether the situation constitutes a global health emergency.
By John Dalton Kigozi
