By Stuart Bogere

KIU, Main Campus - The Ministry of Health has announced strict COVID-19 health regulations for people traveling in and out of the country to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

All persons that are traveling in and out of the country are required to test negative for COVID-19 at least five days before they undertake their journey.

c��?The Ministry of Health would like to further inform all international travelers that they are required to have a COVID-19 negative certificate taken within 120 hours before departure or arrival in Uganda and not within 72 hours as has been the case,c⬝ the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that all persons intending to travel outside the country must pay for a COVID-19 test. The ministry said the move was taken in response to fraudulent claims by some travelers to avoid paying for the test.

Persons that want to travel will have to pay 180,000 Ugandan shillings (about $48) to take a COVID-19 test, according to Dr Henry Mwebesa, Director General Health Services.

c��?This notice is issued against the background that some travelers have being going to government testing centres claiming that they are contacts to previously confirmed cases hence tested for free, yet the actual purpose for the test was c��?travelc��?c,c⬝ the ministry noted.

Currently Uganda has registered 18,165 confirmed cases, of which 9309 are active cases, 8675 people have recovered and 181 are deaths.