This archive report was first published on 24 May 2020.
On Saturday, Uganda's Ministry of Health confirmed that the country's COVID-19 cases had risen to 198, with at least 23 new cases reported.
The new cases were identified from 1,187 samples tested at border points and the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
Of the new cases, 19 were Ugandan truck drivers who entered the country through the Elegu and Busia border points, while four cases were from community infections.
According to the Ministry of Health, the community cases were contacts of truck drivers who tested positive for the virus and were under quarantine at the time of testing.
The government also blocked 38 truck drivers who tested positive at different points of entry, bringing the total number of drivers sent back to 206 since the beginning of last week.
Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng had warned that treating foreigners could strain hospitals and increase the risk of spreading the disease to Ugandans.
Uganda's new cases come as the number of cases reported on the African continent continues to rise, with 104,279 positive cases reported and 3,185 deaths.
WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti expressed hope that the effect of the disease on the continent might not be as dire as earlier predicted, but warned against complacency due to fragile health systems.
