Finalists of Kyambogo University are living in fear after one of their female students tested coronavirus disease positive.
The patient is a third year student pursuing a Bachelor of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) course in the department of community and disability studies, faculty of special needs and rehabilitation at Kyambogo University.
Last week, the student developed COVID-19 signs and she reported to the university medical center where she was advised to go for the corona virus testing in Makerere University. After testing positive, the student declared the results to the university and she is now receiving treatment at Namboole COVID-19 treatment facility.
This reporter has also learnt that two other students who have been staying with her in Northern Hall, a university hall of residence have been quarantined.
Students in this faculty argue that the students have been very close to many of them who are living in fear of their lives. Th finalists are currently doing the end of semester two exams which kicked off on 16th November and will be ending next month.
According to Kasim Kakande, a course mate, it is now that he has realized that students can be serious with their lives. Noting that every student makes sure they wash hands and have their masks on all the time to avoid the spread of the disease.
This reporter observed that students in this faculty had started relaxing in adhering to Covid-19 SOPs, since the students were not minding about washing hands/sanitizing.
Patrick Labongo a finalist in the same faculty accounts that students now look at each other as if they are all sick and however calls upon students to be more cautious about the disease and follow the SOPs put in place.
Lillian Nabaasa, a class coordinator of those students, says that when they received the bad news, every student makes sure they come in for examinations and leave immediately when they are done with the papers.
However, she cautions the students to take care of their lives now that the disease has been detected among themselves.
Dr Odette Niyisabwa Tumwesigye the head of the department of community and disability studies, faculty of special needs said that they could not halt the examination exercises given the fact that they have limited time and the disease is rapidly spreading. She says that let students finish exams and go home.
When asked about what they will do to tress the contacts of the patient, Dr Tumwesigye explains that it is hard and close to impossible to tress her contacts since she has been mixing with all the students in class and in the faculty.
Dr. Tumwesigye is in the process of writing to the examination coordinator requesting that these students that will have missed examination papers are given separate exams to help them finish their studies.
This is the second COVID-19 case outbreak reported in this Banda based university. Few weeks back, the office of the dean of faculty of vocational studies was closed after one of the staff tested positive for the novel corona virus and admitted in Mulago referral hospital all his contacts sent into isolation for two weeks.
Last week, Professor Elli Katunguka Rwakishaya, the Kyambogo university vice chancellor through a voice note warned students on the observance of the COVID-19 SOPs so as to keep safe.
