By Moses Obwona
The Minister of Health has warned Ugandans to remain vigilant and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as scientists project a ‘terrible’ third COVID-19 wave.
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said that a deadly third wave is expected in the country which calls for public vigilance.
According to Acheng, scientists are projecting that the 3rd wave of the pandemic is likely to go beyond the 4,000 laboratory confirmed cases per day, over two times higher than the second wave.
She says that at least fifteen percent of all Covid-19 patients will require admission at the health facilities, which is likely to stress the health care system even further.
Dr. Aceng said that about 9,331 patients may also require HDU/ICU admissions during the third wave.
Uganda has so far experienced two waves of the pandemic.
Following a 42 day lockdown, Acheng said they received a consistent drop in the positivity rate from 22 percent to 2.8 percent.
“There has also been a fall in the daily admissions of the severe and critically ill patients from 204 at the peak to less than 50 per day, to-date.”
Dr Aceng however noted that although there has been a drop in daily COVID-19 related deaths, the drop in the daily number of deaths remains low due to late presentations at the hospitals.
“We have noted that a number of patients undergoing home based care present late to the health facilities thereby leading to poor clinical outcomes,” the minister said.
She added that “27% of deaths registered occurred minutes within arrival at the COVID-19 Treatment Units. These could have been averted if the patients sought medical care early.”
Editor@lbs.co.ug
