Kampala, Uganda | URN | Drivers have raised concerns over failure to observe physical distance guidelines at Face Technologies despite rising COVID-19 cases in Uganda.
In March, the Ministry of Works and Transport closed all driving permit facilities around the country as a precaution to the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.
However, the company opened on Tuesday 9th attracting hundreds of drivers who want new driving and those seeking to renew old ones.
When our reporter visited Face Technologies, many drivers had queued up in disregard of the physical distancing guidelines issued by the Health Ministry to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Few people were seen practicing social gathering measures like wearing face masks.
Jamada Sebijogo a truck driver from Kawanda says that he was shocked about the congestion. He says that they can easily be exposed to danger because of failure to observe the 4-meter distance as advised by Health authorities.
Johnson Kajura a taxi driver from Nateete says that although some drivers wore face masks, they were standing close to each other in the queue. He blames authorities at the company for failing to ensure their clients observe the physical distancing and other COVID-19 preventive measures.
Susan Byarugaba from Mpererwe, who reported at Face Technologies, says the failure of fellow drivers to observe physical distancing is putting everyone around at risk.
Byarugaba says that police officers have tried to make sure that all people queuing up are putting on masks and there is at least space of two meters, but people are adamant.
He says that the congestion is extremely much but they have nothing to do.
Uganda has 696 confirmed COVID-19 cases, ministry of Health has said.
On Saturday 13th, the minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng said that Uganda has entered the third stage of infection of COVID-19 following an increase in the number of community cases.
Read Also: Uganda police warns taxi drivers against flouting rules after lockdown
Stage three is deemed the most deadly stage by experts with cases reported everywhere with no trace of how exactly they could have got infected. The World Health Organization (WHO) said the rate of infection of the novel coronavirus is accelerating across Africa.
The WHO warned Thursday it took 98 days to reach 100,000 cases on the continent and just 19 days to reach 200,000 cases. South Africa, which has one of the highest coronavirus rates on the continent, is representative of the rapid surge in cases and deaths.
Yesterday, June 13 at least 203 people were reported dead while 8,105 new cases were confirmed in Africa. The WHO said South Africa is the hardest-hit country, accounting for 25 per cent of the continent’s total cases.
