By Agnes Kiconco

KIU, Main Campus: On Tuesday, February 15, 2022, the Health Minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng revealed that Uganda is past the third wave of COVID-19.

During a press briefing held at the health ministry headquarters in Kampala, Dr. Aceng said much as the country is out of the third wave, the population ought to continue to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

“While the country is out of the 3rd COVID-19 wave, registering a low positivity rate and no district in alert or response phase, I appeal to the population to continue following SOPs and get vaccinated! It is me and you to show responsibility for our health and safety,” Health Minister Aceng said.

Uganda was driven into a third wave by the fast-spreading COVID-19 variant Omicron variant. The variant was first discovered in South Africa in November 2021.

Uganda Virus Research Institute detected the variant in Uganda in early December last year.

According to Ministry of Health statistics, Uganda entered the third wave in December 2021 and peaked in the first week of January 2022.

Between December 2021 and January 2022, the country registered more than 32,067 COVID-19 cases and more than 246 deaths. Now with 862 cases and 37 deaths reported in February.