Minister Ruth Aceng has warned the public that a two-month jail sentence has been set for those who are not wearing face masks.
The health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has issued a strong warning to the general public that a two-month jail sentence has been set for all those individuals found not wearing face masks.
Aceng made the remarks while addressing the public about the status of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said due to the rising number of cases, the general public has a big role to play in a bid to contain its spread.
Among others, she said wearing masks like all other Standard Operating Procedures including washing of hands and maintaining social distance should be a daily norm but very many Ugandans even after the rapid surge in cases, have remained reluctant.
“The rising numbers of cases in Uganda reminds us that it is important to protect ourselves and the best way to protect ourselves from this virus is to get vaccinated, and help to slow the spread of COVID19 but as well the SOPs should not be ignored. A person who operates a place or who conducts any activity or event specified in subrule (1) commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to imprisonment not exceeding two months,” Aceng said.
In addition, she raised that the ministry has observed an outbreak of new and very deadly variants of the virus including the one from India. Aceng noted with concern that most cases have been registered in the districts of Kampala and Wakiso.
She said this is one of the main reasons why the government decided to reinstate another lockdown to help the health practitioners get a clear understanding of the nature of the new virus and also reduce its transmission levels.
“We have observed emergence and entrance of different variants. The analysis was made from Covid samples collected from Kampala and Wakiso. The predominant strain is the Delta variant initially identified in India,” Aceng raised.
“The 42 days lockdown intends to achieve; Sustained continuity of essential services. Smoothen access to medical emergency services, enhance risk communication, enhance measures to interrupt transmission of COVID19 among health workers and the general public.”
This, however, comes at a time when the virus continues to infect more people around the country. The health ministry Friday announced 1,048 new cases from COVID-19 tests done on 30 June 2021 pushing the cumulative confirmed cases to 82,082.
As of Saturday morning, 54,158 individuals have since recovered from the virus while 1,111 have succumbed to it after the ministry registered 50 new deaths.
