KAMPALA, Uganda 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Rwanda have banned with immediate effect all flights from Uganda due to reports of rising COVID-19 cases in the East African country.

Uganda Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Viany Lugya said: “The United Arab Emirates has stopped flights from Uganda after learning that the number of COVID-19 cases in Uganda has gone up. Rwanda has also done the same.”

This came after reports that COVID-19 cases and deaths have gone up in Uganda. Over 1,000 new cases are being reported daily over the past five days.

Last week, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni imposed strict measures, restricting movement of people from one district to another and closing all schools and institutions of higher learning.

According to the Health Ministry, Uganda on Saturday registered 15 fatalities and 1,735 new virus infections, bringing the total number of deaths to 423 and infections to 60,250.

The total number of recoveries in the country stands at 48,160, according to the ministry.