A case of Coronavirus has been confirmed in Uganda.

The virus was carried by a Ugandan man who flew in via Ethiopian Airlines.

This is the first case of Coronavirus in the country.

The confirmed case is a 36 year old Ugandan male who arrived from Dubai at 2:00am today, Saturday 21 March 2020 aboard Ethiopian airlines.

Health Minister Dr Ruth Aceng said the victim “presented with symptoms of high fever and poor appetite.”

Uganda now joins East African countries Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania which have reported several cases of the deadly disease.

The patient is a resident of Kibuli, Kagungulu Zone in Kampala who arrived at Entebbe International Airport on March 21.



“During the screening process at the airport, his temperature was 38.7. This prompted the health teams to isolate him at the airport for further follow up,” said Aceng, adding, “Subsequent temperatures taken at intervals of 30 minutes and one hour remained the same.”

He was evacuated to Entebbe Grade B Hospital for further follow up where a nasal swab was sent to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) for analysis.

Results from UVRI showed the sample is positive for COVID-19.

“He is not coughing neither did he have flu. However, the persistent fever prompted the health workers to isolate him,” said Aceng.

Aceng revealed that the victim is currently in isolation at the Hospital and is said to be stable but with a fairly high temperature.

The confirmed case had travelled to Dubai on the 17th of March, 2020 (four days ago) for business purposes.

At the time of his travel, he was in good health.

The Health Ministry reassured the general public that all measures were undertaken to identify this case at the airport and isolate him in a timely manner.

She said the passenger manifest has been retrieved and all contacts are known as we are in position of the passports of all the travelers that came on that plane.

“We know all the passengers who were on the plane,” said Aceng, adding, “They were not many. Since they are all under quarantine, they are easy to follow up and evacuate.”

She said her team was quite vigilant in identifying the patient at the airport “because they got this person and others.”

Aceng said the borders have been closed to all passengers and airspace closed to commercial aircrafts to counter Coronavirus.