Ministry of Health calls for calm after Omicron variant is confirmed in Uganda

By Ritah Kemigisa

The Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has called for calm among Ugandans after scientists in the country today confirmed seven cases of the Omicron Covid19 variant.

In a statement issued this afternoon, Minister Aceng says five of the affected people who came from Nigeria and two from South Africa have been isolated adding that they are not severely ill.

Aceng meanwhile says much as the variant is highly transmissible, it is not severe adding that it is mild in vaccinated people and mostly affected those who are not vaccinated.

It is from that she is rallying people to get vaccinated.

The Uganda Virus Research Institute today confirmed that on November 29^ththe variant was detected among travelers from Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Netherlands aboard Ethiopian Airways, Uganda Airlines, Kenya Airlines and Airlink on November 29^th 2021.

The Omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries, although no deaths have yet been reported in any of these nations, according to the World Health Organization.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna