Uganda has recorded its highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day after 10 people were reported to have died of the disease on Friday by the Ministry of Health.
This brings the tally number of deaths in Uganda, as of November 21st 2020, to 168 recorded deaths. The country recorded its first death from the Corona virus on the Thursday of July 23rd 2020 when it still had only 1,079 cases.
As of today, Uganda has a cumulative number of 17,431 COVID-19 cases after the health ministry reported 283 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
This week alone, over 1,174 new COVID-19 cases have been reported. The highest number of community infections in the country are being recorded in Kampala at the moment with an average of 100 cases reported from the district every day.
According to health experts, this double digit number of deaths is not surprising given the wide spread community infections. They say the higher the number of cases reported, the more deaths are recorded.
Half of all patients who develop severe forms of the disease succumb to it according to doctors from Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Dr. Rose Byanyima, the deputy executive director at Mulagoand also the head of the COVID-19 treatment unit says that people need to take precautions and avoid falling sick.
“The more cases we get the more deaths. At a time like this it’s important for people to wear their masks and wash their hands,” said Dr. Byanyima.
This is the second time the country has reported double digit COVID-19 deaths. Earlier this month, the health ministry announced 14 deaths only to reduce the figure days later saying that the figure was not for a single day but rather for several days.