The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has embarked on plans of testing 1000 airport employees working under different departments and companies at Entebbe airport. The decision was made after two airport employees tested positive of Covid19. According to Mr. Vianney Luggya the UCAA Public Relations Manager, the two employees are undergoing treatment at Mulago and Entebbe hospitals. “However, these are not UCAA staff, but employees from other agencies that work at Entebbe airport,” clarified Mr. Luggya.

A statement issued by the aviation authority on Thursday, requests eleven entities working at Entebbe airport, to select within their manpower, such employees who are deemed to be more vulnerable and send them for testing at Kazuri medical centre. “Further more, eleven of our staff are right now in isolation due to their having been in contact with an external person who tested positive to the virus,” read a statement from UCAA.

Testing of the 1000 airport employees started on August 27. Among entities that were requested to send staff for testing include UCAA that will test 400 of its staff while NAS and DAS ground handling companies were tasked to send 50 staff each.

Both immigration and customs offices were granted 30 slots each whereas 50 clearing agents are to be tested as well. Others include 80 staff of A&M cleaning company, 80 from Trend events, 20 from Entebbe Joint Aviation Facility and 40 AOC staff.