Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has tested positive for COVID-19, is in good health and will continue his duties, while getting treatment, a senior health ministry official said late on Wednesday.

"Today ...the President tested positive for COVID-19. This was after developing mild flu-like symptoms. However he is in robust heath and continues to perform his duties normally while adhering to SOPs," Diane Atwine, permanent secretary at the health ministry, said on Twitter, referring to standard operating procedures for handling COVID cases.

Earlier on Wednesday after giving a State of the Nation address at the parliament's grounds, Museveni, 78, gave a first hint that he may have contracted COVID, saying in the morning he had felt a slight cold, prompting him to request COVID tests.

He said two of three tests he had done were negative, and he was waiting for the outcome of another.

"So I am a suspect of corona and I am standing here. That is why you saw me coming in separate cars with Mama," Museveni said, referring to the First Lady Janet Museveni, who accompanied him to parliament.

In his address, Museveni said the Ugandan government has strengthened its health systems over the last three years.

This includes equipping regional and national referral hospitals.

Further, 225 health centre IIs have been renovated and upgraded to health centre IIIs.

"In addition, we have strengthened the capacity of the country in vaccine development," he said.