Dozens of Ugandan legislators and their staff have tested positive for Covid-19 after participating in a regional tournament in Tanzania, a parliamentary spokesman said Tuesday, as fears grow over the Omicron variant.
About 50 MPs and staff tested positive for Covid-19, parliament spokesman Chris Obore said on Twitter, adding that no one was hospitalised.
The tournament drew nearly 1,500 participants from the six-nation East African Community bloc, even as some member countries such as Kenya confront a surge in infections, with one in four tests turning up positive.
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The legislators faced off against each other in the two-week tournament in Arusha, playing various sports including tug-of-war.
"The games were interactive in nature, therefore the players could not strictly observe standard operating procedures," Obore said on Twitter, adding that "in Tanzania, the population doesn't wear masks."
Since it was first reported in South Africa in November, the Omicron variant has been identified in dozens of countries, prompting many to reimpose restrictions, including on sporting events.
