Uganda’s national hospital, Mulago is reporting an unprecedented number of coronavirus patients as the East African country battles a second wave of the pandemic.
The national referral hospital’s deputy executive director, Dr Rosemary Byanyima, says the hospital has received 40 patients in the last 24 hours alone with many of them either severely or critically ill.
The sharp spike created a queue of ambulances as patients were being brought in from other hospitals while others were transported in private vehicles.
The development comes as Uganda records its highest number of infections since the start of the outbreak – more than 1,000 Covid-19 cases were confirmed in a day on 1 June.
Mulago hospital had reserved 200 beds for Covid-19 patients and 190 people are currently admitted with more than three-quarters of them in the high dependency unit.
Ms Byanyima says there are plans to create more bed space by moving non-Covid patients to the old wing of the hospital.
Only a week ago, 29 schools throughout the country reported coronavirus cases putting in doubt the government’s planned reopening of lower primary classes in July.
One institution, Kyambogo University, suspended physical learning after the results of six students turned out positive.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to address the country this weekend on the government’s response to this second wave of the pandemic.
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