45 Boarding School Students Test Positive for COVID-19 in Masaka

A total of 45 students in two schools in Masaka District have tested positive for the corona virus disease, COVID-19. 

Dr. Nathan Onyach, the Director Masaka Regional Referral Hospital says that most of these students are enrolled in the boarding section in their schools.

He also confirmed that the students are admitted at the COVID-19 treatment center at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital.

Onyach says that the surveillance team is still tracing all contacts to contain the spread of the virus. He further attributes the infections to failure to observe the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Onyach also urged that there is no need to close the affected schools since the patients are already admitted and receiving treatment at the hospital. 

Onyach also reveals that 16 health workers are under self-isolation and are being monitored from their various homes.

According to Dr. Mark Jjuuko, the In-charge of the COVID-19 Treatment Center at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, most of the students affected are improving and will be discharged as soon as they completely recover. 

Jjuuko explains that they have withheld the names of the schools of the affected learners in order not to cause alarm.

The Masaka Deputy District Education Officer (deputy DEO), John Bosco Mulindwa says that they have a taskforce team which keeps monitoring schools in a bid to enforce the SOPs.

However, the administrators of the affected schools have said they have improved on the enforcement of the SOPs to avoid more infections.