Makerere University scientists led by Dr Misaki Wayengera to release COVID-19 testing kits by end of April
Following increasing cases of the deadly coronavirus, a team of scientists at Department of Pathology, Makerere University has confirmed that they are working to ensure that COVID-19 testing kits are released by at least the end of April.
According to Dr Misaki Wayengera, one of the team’s leading researchers who also produced Ebola test kits said they took on this mandate to develop COVID-19 test kits because many Ugandans have raised concerns about where and how to get tested.
Dr Wayengera implied that they have already identified some proteins that they are testing to see how they will work as a way to come up with a better tester that will produce good results and also with no side effects.
He explained that the test uses an agglutination platform in which an individual just needs to get a swab from the nose or mouth and then put it in the tube, shake to see the results.
“We took up the mandate to develop the kit because people were bothering us. We already identified some proteins that will work and we are testing them to see how they work,” Wayengera explained.
“The test uses agglutination platform -where you get a swab from the nose or mouth, put it in the tube, shake and get results,” he added.
Dr Wayengera further said they have partnered with a team of experts from France to see that they manufacture the best kits.
Wayengera who could not disclose the actual sum of money they have invested in this initiative said that a lot of money has been injected and still being injected.
However, according to Dr Wayengera, they will not hyke the price of these kits to try and get their money back.
He said that the price of the kits would be around $1 (approximately Shs4,000).
Uganda COVID -19 updates
This comes at a time after the Health Ministry announced five more cases of COVID -19 pushing Uganda’s total to 23 in number in space of close to one week.
Out of 227 samples tested yesterday at the Uganda Virus Research Institute, 222 samples tested negative for COVID-19 with 5 turning out positive.
The virus first discovered in Wuhan, China has now spread globally, with more than 576,000 people who have so far contracted the virus and 26,000 deaths in 176 countries and regions as of March, 27th.
According to experts, coronavirus spreads between people in a way similar to influenza, via respiratory droplets from coughing.
The time between exposure and symptom onset is typically five days but may range from two to fourteen days.
The virus can cause pneumonia. Those who have fallen ill are reported to suffer coughs, fever and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, there can be organ failure. As this is viral pneumonia, antibiotics are of no use.
The antiviral drugs we have against flu will not work. Recovery depends on the strength of the immune system. Many of those who have died were already in poor health.
The virus can be easily transmitted from one person to another like flue it is contagious, however, the only difference is that it is worse than the normal flue because it is thought to cause about 400,000 deaths each year globally.
Coronavirus abbreviated as COVID -19 has no cure vaccine meaning it is more difficult for vulnerable members of the population – elderly people or those with existing respiratory or immune problems – to protect themselves.
Many measures including hand-washing with soap and avoiding crowded places and self-isolation if you feel an unusual cough have been put forth by the World Health Organization to help in the curbing on its spread.
