25 foreign nationals turn out positive in Namanga

Kenya is no longer taking chances on the Covid-19 situation in Tanzania after 23 Tanzanian truck drivers entering Kenya tested positive.

Even as the government in its update on the Covid-19 situation was diplomatic on the Tanzania situation, it made it clear that extra precautions are being taken, including setting up a mobile laboratory at Namanga.

“Tanzania is our neighbour and member of the East African Community (EAC), and so we work closely and collaborate. Our role as EAC is also our interest and that is to protect our people,” said Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Rashid Aman as he announced that Kenya had 22 new cases.

So dire is the situation in Tanzania that the US government on Wednesday issued Global Level Four Health Advisory to its citizens living there as Kenya grapples with a spillover of the cases.

In yesterday’s update issued by Dr Aman, 25 positive cases were detected among truck drivers crossing the Namanga border into Kenya.

Of the 25, 23 are Tanzanians while the other two are a Rwandan and a Ugandan. This adds to five other Tanzanian truck drivers who tested positive on Monday and were also denied entry into Kenya.

No new case

Health Director General Patrick Amoth who was at the border in Namanga on Tuesday said Kenya will continue testing those coming in through the border points and relaying the same numbers as per the World Health Organisation’s International Health Regulations. “We also expect our neighbours to do so,” he said. However, as also noted by the US Embassy in Tanzania, the country has not reported any new case since April 29.

So far Tanzania has 509 reported cases while Kenya has 737. There were four more deaths reported yesterday and 22 recoveries, bringing the number to 40 and 281 respectively.

“If you look at the disease burden from our neighbours, we have a big challenge. But these numbers are just from people who are captured through our formal borders, not the panya routes,” Dr Amoth said.

The US Embassy also suspended emergency passport services, dashing hopes for any evacuation flights for any of its citizens. The Global Level Four Health Advisory states that all US citizens should avoid international travel. US citizens therefore will remain in Tanzania for an indefinite period since the country also suspended international flights effective April 11.

“Many hospitals in Dar-es-Salaam have been overwhelmed in recent weeks. Limited hospital capacity throughout Tanzania could result in life threatening delays for medical care,” reads the alert.

The alert noted that despite limited official reports, evidence points at exponential growth of the epidemic. “The risk of contracting Covid-19 in Dar-es-Salaam is extremely high,” the alert reads in part.