Minister Aceng calls for calm after first 7 Omicron cases confirmed

By Ben Musanje

7^th Dec 2021

The Ministry of Health has called for calm among Ugandans after the confirmation of the new Omicron variant of the Coronavirus in the country.

Uganda, this morning recorded its first seven cases of the Omicron variant after having detected it from the travelers from South Africa and Nigeria who arrived in Uganda on November 29.

Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health Minister says that there is nothing to worry about since the victims are not severely ill and are monitored under isolation.

She further says that Omicron variant infection does not seem to be severe though it spreads widely very fast but mostly among the unvaccinated according to the reports received from the 38 countries it is reported.

However, the Minister expresses worry over the continued cases of vaccination hesitancy in Acholi Sub region especially in Amuru district which is an exit route to South Sudan.

Uganda’s 7-day rolling average of daily new cases has stayed relatively low level over the past two weeks, registering 0.07 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 6, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Uganda, with 45 million people, has recorded just over 127,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3,256 deaths, according to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.