There is looming fear among Kikoni residents, a city suburb which is a hub of Makerere University student’s hostels of contracting Coronavirus.
The fear is that the people who attend to those in the quarantine come outside and mingle with the residents which put them at risk because they do not know if they are safe since they attend to suspects.
Ministry of Health hired Douglas villa hostel, Nyumbani Hotel and Grand global Hotel as quarantine centers which are found in Kikoni area for #COVID-19 suspects and returnees from different countries.
Wilson Kalanda the chairperson LC1 Makerere ward cell B Kikoni says they are in too much fear over people who are in quarantine centres because the centres has little measures put in place to prevent Coronavirus spreading to the rest of the community members.
“We have fear of these centres which are in our zones, and residents are extremely worried because the people who are attending to these suspects come outside the place, buy things and associate with us.” Says Kalanda, LC1 Chairperson Makerere ward cell B Kikoni.
He further urges the ministry to disinfect the centers like they are doing to Entebbe International Airport which is undergoing a massive disinfection exercise aimed at ensuring that any surfaces that may have been contaminated with coronavirus (COVID-19) are cleaned. The 30-day exercise is undertaken by A&M Executive Cleaners.
Kalanda urged government to test all people near quarantine centres and if they become victims, it will help them to get on treatment when it is still early. However, there is no treatment for corona virus yet.
He says if the security around can monitor the movements of these people; it can reduce on the fears.
Darius Nabaasa a businessman near Douglas villa hostel says that the place is not safe, and since all these people were from abroad and the people who attend to them come out and mingle with other people outside.
A female business lady source who preferred anonymity says If Coronavirus is to catch them, it will because like they are in business, these people bring money and buy what they want.
She said that people should make sure that they also protect themselves; she says she holds money with carefully that clients bring because she can not refuse to receive money simply because it is from Coronavirus suspects.
Many people worldwide are still confused and do not know if #COVID-19 is an airborne disease, however, William Ristenpart, a Professor of chemical engineering at University of California, Davis says that People infected with #COVID-19 may spread the disease when they speak and breathe, not only when they let out a hearty cough.
He says that although these modes of transmission could help to explain how asymptomatic and mildly infected people fuel the virus’ spread, researchers don’t yet know whether tiny particles expelled in breath infect more people than large droplets spewed through coughs, experts told Live Science.
“There’s a possibility” that #COVID-19 primarily spreads via fluid particles less than 0.0002 inches (5 microns) in diameter, known as aerosols, which can be emitted when people speak, said William Ristenpart, a professor of chemical engineering at University of California, Davis.
According to Ministry of Health, Uganda as of now has 53 confirmed cases, with no confirmed deaths, 377 individuals discharged from institutional quarantine, 1,271 individuals tested, 2,661 travellers identified, 602 under institutional quarantine, 834 under follow up, and 141 under self-quarantine.
