Their fears have been compounded by stringent directives by the government that have since seen a ban on public transport, monthly markets, bars, and shops selling non-food items among others. These were some of the measures taken by the government to control the spread of the disease which has so far killed 42,361 people across the world. At least 44 people have so far tested positive for the deadly disease in Uganda.
The move to decongest the markets was reached by the district taskforce against coronavirus as part of an adherence to a recent presidential directive to Ugandans to stop social and public gathering as precautionary measures to contain the spread of the deadly COVID 19 pandemic.
Jane Angom Mujoma, Speak FM Station Manager told URN that she spent over four hours at the RDC`s office before she was cleared to drive her vehicle to ferry her staffs to and from home.
In several parts of Kitgum municipality, armed soldiers deployed to effect the directives started chasing traders and motorists off the markets, shops and streets as early as 5:20pm.
Dr Geoffrey Okello, the Kitgum General Hospital Acting Medical Superintendent says the numbers have reduced significantly following reports of a patient who was isolated at the facility after presenting suspected symptoms of covid-19.
At exactly 5:00 a.m thousands of the residents old and young, male and female drawn from the four divisions of Bardege, Laroo, Pece and Layibi banged jerry cans, containers, drums and clubs and blew whistles purportedly to drive away disease which they described as a curse.
