Uganda, China travels to be minimized

Uganda and China have issued guidelines to minimize travels to and from China as a means of preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
The coronavirus has reportedly killed 106 people in China and infected over 4,520 globally most of them in Asian countries. Neighboring Kenya, Germany, Australia and Singapore are among the countries which have reported cases of the virus.
The Minister of State for Health, Hon Robinah Nabanjja said that the Chinese government has agreed to give notice to their community to delay their return to Uganda and for those in Uganda not to travel to China until the situation contained.
“Those who come to Uganda will stay in isolation for two weeks and there will be no mass gatherings for the Chinese communities. The Chinese Ambassador organised a meeting at the embassy where leadership groups were formed to monitor their people in the country,” she said.
Nabanjja added that the Ministry of Health has activated the national task force to coordinate preparedness and response activities to prevent and manage the virus.  
Nabanjja told Parliament sitting on 29 January 2020 that surveillance at the Entebbe International Airport has been enhanced to prevent entry and spread of the virus in the country.
“A team at Entebbe International airport is screening for the coronavirus. The Ministry is working with the Civil Aviation Authorityand has already undertaken sensitization of all staff at the airport on the risk of the spread of the virus to Uganda and how to prevent it,” she said.
Nabanjja added that an Inter-ministerial committee has been set up to coordinate activities of preparedness.
“We have provided basic information to the public on the signs and symptoms, and how to prevent the virus. We have designated Entebbe and Naguru regional hospitals as centres for case management,” she said.
She assured the country that there is no confirmed or suspected case of the virus in Uganda.
“It is however important to know that there is a substantial number of passengers who travel between Uganda and China and other affected countries for various reasons. It is important that health workers and the general public are vigilant and quick to identify suspected cases of the virus,” she said.
Legislators however, called for setting up of interventions including screening services at border points saying that the reported case in neighboring Kenya poses a risk to Uganda.  
Hon. Frederick Angura (NRM, Tororo South County) cited the Tororo- Malaba border which he said receives heavy traffic of people on a daily basis and yet the health centres there are not equipped to handle the virus.  
“This border alone receives over 200 trucks every day and we are aware that many people who have been to China have been to different countries. It is at such border points that we need surveillance,” he said.
Hon. Santa Alum Okot (UPC, Oyam district) asked the Ministry of Health to closely liaise with the Kenyan government and find ways of minimizing travels between two countries in a bid to avoid the spread of the virus.
“Hospitals should now be designated at border points to handle any suspected cases of the virus,” she said.
Hon. Denis Oguzu (FDC, Maracha County) expressed concern over the absence of screening for the virus at the Uganda-Congo border saying that it is one of the high risk areas.
“This is a very porous border but when I passed there yesterday, people were moving in and out freely; there was no screening,” he said.
Coronavirus is commonly spread from an infected person to others through the air by coughing and sneezing. It is also spread through close contact such as touching or shaking hands and touching an object or surface with the virus on it.
According to the World Health Organisation, the coronavirus is a strange type of virus that causes respiratory illness which they are still investigating how it affects people, how they can be treated, and what countries can do to respond.