Joho warns Mombasa residents against taking pandemic casually

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho (above) has warned residents against taking Covid-19 casually, noting that the disease was claiming many lives.

“The message I want to pass across to my brothers and sisters in Mombasa is that Covid-19 is a reality. People are dying from this disease and that is why we should not take it as a joke," Joho said.

The governor spoke yesterday during the burial of nominated MCA Mohamed Hatimy at Kokowani cemetery.

He warned Kenyans against ignoring Ministry of Health protocols.

The governor said 38 health workers at Coast General Hospital had tested positive for coronavirus.

"Recently, 38 health workers tested positive at the Coast General Hospital and we also lost one nurse last week. We would soon lack where to bury the dead if the trend continues because there are only 20 spaces remaining at Kiziwi cemetery," Joho said.

Hatimy, who had tested positive for Covid-19, served as chair of the then Kenya Federation Football before joining politics. He served as Mombasa ODM chairman.

Hatimy was among Joho's trusted political allies.

Leaders who attended the burial included Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki, MPs George Aladwa (Makadara), Teddy Mwabire (Ganze), Nassir Shariff (Mvita) and Khatib Mashatani (Lunga Lunga).

Strict measures

Meanwhile, more strict measures have been introduced to contain the spread of coronavirus in Kwale County, following a spike of positive cases.

Six people have succumbed to the disease in two weeks.

Governor Salim Mvurya said strict measures, including adherence to the curfew time and wearing of masks, were being enforced to contain the pandemic.

“We will also reduce the provision of services in the county, allowing only the essential ones to go on. We will fumigate all key business areas, including markets, beach hotels and eateries.

"The police will work hand-in-hand with us to enforce the regulations,” Mvurya said after a meeting of the County Covid-19 Committee which he chairs.

Ngumo Karuku, the Kwale County commissioner who co-chairs the committee, said three pubs have been closed after defying curfew rules, while 223 people have been arrested and taken to court in the past two days.

Karuku explained that of those arrested, 168 people were without masks and 55 defied the 10pm to 4am curfew time.

Mvurya said six patients are admitted at the Msambweni Referral Hospital Covid-19 Annex while 104 others are on home-based care.

Kwale has so far tested 3,874 people with 378 found positive.

Mvurya thanked county health workers for being frontline soldiers in the fight against the pandemic.

He dismissed rumours on social media that the Msambweni Covid-19 Annex lacks medical oxygen and ventilators.

The governor raised concern over the slow release of Covid-19 test results by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) centre in Kilifi County.

He said a proposal by the Council of Governors that each county gets rapid test kits had been approved by the World Health Organisation.