Business and traffic were paralyzed as security personnel hunted for suspected contacts of the driver. However, five people were traced and immediately whisked away to the Gulu School of Clinical Officers quarantine facility.
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Armed Policemen backed by the military enforcing ban on private cars along Gulu - Kampala highway - Photo by Dominic Ochola
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There was a stampede in
Gulu Town on Thursday evening after security personnel rounded up a truck driver
who tested positive for Coronavirus Disease. The patient is an
Eritrean national who had already spent two days in the community
after he arrived in Gulu on Tuesday, May 12.
Patrick Jimmy Okema, the
Aswa River Region Police Public Relations Officer said the driver was
intercepted from Buganda Pub, along Gulu – Kampala road following a police-led intelligence
operation backed by the military and health workers.
Martin Ojara Mapenduzi,
the District Chairperson and coordinator for the District Task Force said that the driver’s sample tested positive from Elegu at Uganda – South Sudan border point
in Amuru District.
Business and traffic were
paralyzed as security personnel hunted for
suspected contacts of the driver. However, five people were traced and immediately
whisked away to the Gulu School of Clinical Officers quarantine facility.
Earlier on Wednesday, two
other truck drivers including a Ugandan who also tested positive for the contagion
in Elegu were rounded up by security personnel and evacuated to Gulu Regional
Hospital treatment centre.
Loum Janani Bishop, the in-charge of Public Health Department revealed
that they were already alerted by the national surveillance team about the
medical conditions of the trio and were prepared to receive them.
The three cases bring to
eight, the number of patients being treated for the infectious virus disease at
Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. Overall, COVID-19 cases in Uganda now stand
at 160, according to the Ministry of Health.
Dr James Elima, the
hospital Director issued a clinical caveat warning that the facility will not be
able to admit more than 10 patients.
Journalist
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
