Health authorities in Masaka district have announced that 32 health workers, who have been in contact with a police officer who succumbed to COVID-19 last week, will undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing over fears they could have contracted the virus from him, the Daily Monitor newspaper has reported this morning.

According to an interview reportedly done by the newspaper, the head of the COVID-19 treatment centre at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital Dr Mark Juko (in the picture), the health workers alongside other 20 individuals had been in contact with the police officer, who has also been diabetic for the last 10 years, before results confirming his COVID-19 status came back on Sunday.

The 56-year old police officer passed away on Friday and as a result, Kyabagonya Police Post in Lwengo, where he had been attached, has been closed temporarily so that his colleagues can also undergo mandatory testing as well as disinfection of the premises.

“We have started with the health workers that interacted with the deceased during the time he spent at the suspect holding area while waiting for his results. After that, we will start taking samples from his workmates and relatives plus the attendants,” Dr Juko reportedly said.