502 new cases COVID-19 cases in Uganda

Some of these cases are the Omicron variant, detected in seven travellers from South Africa and Nigeria who arrived at Entebbe International Airport on November 29. 

According to the results of tests done on December 20, 2021, the cumulative confirmed cases in Uganda are now 130,178.

Kampala registered the highest number of cases with 238, Wakiso 199, Mbarara 6, Arua 5, Gulu 5, Jinja 3, Luweero 2, Soroti 2 and Koboko 1. Elsewhere Kyotera registered 12, Amuru 3, Tororo 2, Masaka 1, Kabale 1, Amuru 1, Busia 1, Kibuku 1,

19 truck drivers were also among the positive cases with 13 being found in Kyotera, Tororo 5 and Amuru 1.

According to the ministry’s latest figures, there haven’t been any new COVID-19 related deaths.

Uganda, according to the Ministry of Health, has so far administered over 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, some estimates place that number at 7.6 million administered doses since the vaccine rollout began in early 2021.

The confirmation of Omicron cases in Uganda means the new variant has been found in at least nine African countries.

As part of the prevention and rapid identification of a new COVID-19 variant in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) with a total of 3,360 test kits for the genotyping of variants of concern.

 "These PCR screening assay kits procured by WHO is a boost to the county’s existing capacity to identify the predominant Delta variant and indicate the presence of Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant of concern."- Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda's Minister of Health.

South Africa remains ground zero for the Omicron outbreak, with experts saying that the overwhelming majority of its thousands of new cases per day are of the new variant.