Aceng: “Remain vigilant as a ‘terrible’ third Covid-19 wave is expected’

As experts predict a ‘awful’ third COVID-19 wave, Ugandans have been encouraged to be cautious and follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health, told the press on Friday last week that a lethal third wave is likely and advised the people to stay cautious.

“Our experts predict that the third wave of the pandemic will peak at 4,000 lab confirmed cases per day, more than twice as many as the second wave,” Aceng added.

This is according to the forecast. According to Dr. Aceng, at least fifteen percent (15%) of all Covid-19 patients will require hospitalization, putting even more strain on the health-care system.

Approximately 9,331 patients may require HDU/ICU hospitalizations during the third wave, according to Dr. Aceng.

Uganda has been hit by two waves of the epidemic thus far.

During the second wave, average instances reached at over 1000 positive Covid-19 cases per day, with many fatalities reported on a daily basis.

Following a 42-day lockdown, the health minister said that the positive rate had consistently dropped from 22 percent to 2.8 percent.

“Daily admissions of severe and critically sick patients have also decreased, from 204 at the peak to less than 50 per day to date.”

Dr. Aceng did point out, however, that while there has been a decrease in daily COVID-19-related mortality, the daily number of deaths has remained low due to late hospital presentations.

“We’ve noticed that some patients receiving home-based treatment arrive late to health institutions, resulting in poor clinical outcomes,” the minister added.

“Within minutes of arriving to the COVID-19 Treatment Units, 27 percent of fatalities were recorded. If the patients had sought medical help sooner, this may have been avoided.”