Mr Museveni tested positive for the virus on 7 June and said the following day that he was taking "forced leave".

"Greetings. It is now day five of my corona-status. Last night, I slept very well up to the 10th hour of the night (saa kumi za usiku – what the Europeans call 4am)", the Ugandan leader said in a long Twitter post.

He urged Ugandans to go for Covid vaccination and booster shots, especially for the elderly.

Rumours have emerged on Twitter over the past few days that Mr Museveni had been transferred to intensive care and later died from Covid complications.

The World Health Organization declared last month that Covid was officially no longer a global health emergency, but warned that the virus would continue mutating.