So far, Uganda, like many African countries, has experienced a relatively mild Covid-19 outbreak.
But concerns it could be vulnerable to contagion from the Indian variant are underscored by its large Indian community and strong relationship between the two countries, as India is a major exporter to Uganda.
As of Tuesday, Uganda had reported 41,797 infections and 342 deaths, health ministry data showed.
On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warned that India's intense outbreak was a reminder that Africa must stay vigilant.
The head of the health agency John Nkengasong said the AU will convene a meeting of African health ministers on May 8 to “put everybody on alert”.
India reported more than 379,000 new coronavirus cases and 3,645 new deaths on Thursday alone. It was the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in the world's second most populous country since the start of the pandemic.