The COVID-19 District task force in Rukungiri has in collaboration with the Health Department put two trading centers in Buhunga sub- County on lockdown following failure to comply with the Standard Operating Procedures-SOPs.
The affected trading centers are Karisizo and Omukidandari.
According to Nsubuga Bewayo the Rukungiri Resident District Commissioner, who also chairs the District COVID-19 Taskforce, the sub-county COVID-19 Taskforce resolved to temporarily close the trading centers for two weeks accusing the operators for failure to SOPs, which has led to a surge in COVID-19 cases in both trading centers.
"We held a meeting with the sub-county task force and we agreed to close the two trading centers for 2 weeks. People there were not respecting SOPs that were put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Bewayo said.
He also noted that they were forced to take the decision after learning that some COVID-19 patients placed under home care based in both trading centers have continued moving around and spread the disease intentionally.
However, traders argue that two-week lockdown will cost them, since some of them sell perishables.
But, Hajji Hamid Kabwende, the chairperson of the Karisizo trading center, says the closure of the trading center was the right decision intended to save lives of many from COVID-19. “
Rukungiri district has so far registered 374 COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths and 15 recoveries.