A cloud of fear is hovering over Ugandans after a dead body of a Covid-19 victim was allowed into the country via Entebbe Airport.
The deceased has been identified as Daniel Sebulima. The body was intercepted by Ministry of Health officials together with the police.
The body was aboard a cargo aircraft from Dubai and was due for burial in Mukono with the help of A-Plus funeral services.
Our Taskforce together with the team from Ministry of Health intercepted a body brought in the Country as Cargo from Dubai picked from the airport by APlus. We have quarantined all APlus crew at least for 14 days at our Isolation Centre. The death certificate relates to Covid-19. Please let’s continue to educate our masses on the danger and seriousness of this pandemic,” a statement from an official in the Ministry reads in part.
A-plus Speaks Out
Funeral service provider A-plus has confirmed that they were in charge of handling the burial of the deceased.
The burial was managed by our safe and dignified burial team. With the current Covid-19 situation, the government considered him to be buried like this(by Red Cross team) to prevent the family members from being exposed,” reads a statement.
“The late wasn’t a Covid-19 case. He was living in Qatar and collapsed and fell in his bathroom (usual common bathroom accidents), unfortunately, he didn’t make it,” a statement from A Plus reads in part.
CAA speaks out
The Civil Aviation Authority says the body went through the normal standard operating procedures.
“Human remains were formally received through Entebbe International Airport on Sunday, April 19, 2020 aboard Qatar Airways from Doha. There wasn’t any disguise. The Standard Operating Procedures for receiving human remains were observed in the presence of officials from the Uganda Red Cross Society, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health,” a statement from the Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson, Vianney Luggya said.
While addressing the nation on Sunday President Museveni said that people who die of Covid-19 will not be allowed into the county.