Over 2,000 returnees to be tested tomorrow

Two patients who tested positive for coronavirus are currently admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said one of the patients was a French national and the other was a Kenyan. Both were being monitored and were responding well to treatment, he said.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Kagwe said a South African who was on self-quarantine in Nakuru has died of circumstances unrelated to coronavirus, adding that the matter was under investigation by the police.

At the same time, the CS announced that a mass testing exercise would begin tomorrow in different parts of the country. Mr Kagwe said the tests would be carried out on more than 2,000 people who arrived in Kenya in the last few days and have been quarantined in various facilities.

“The test will be done in accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines,” said Kagwe at the briefing on the state of coronavirus in the country.

Of the tests done between Thursday and Friday, there were no positive cases.

Currently, there are 156 samples being tested in various institutions. So far, there have been 31 cases of people who tested positive of coronavirus; 19 males and 12 females.

The CS said the authorities were tracing contacts of 1,067 people who have been in contact with people suspected to be infected with the coronavirus. More than 930 people are being monitored.

In response to the dusk-to-dawn curfew, the CS said: “Many people are carriers of the disease, and these people tend to socialise more at night. The curfew is meant to curtail social interaction.”

He added that the social distancing rule was being flouted by people in public transport who would carry full capacity at night.

“We will overcome this disease if we co-operate,” he said, urging Kenyans to adhere to the prescribed measures.

His sentiments were reiterated by Inspector General Hilary Mutyambai.

“Those who do not follow the curfew rules will be arrested and detained,” he said.

Kagwe said all communication about the coronavirus in the country will be relayed through the Ministry of Health, saying there were some people who had been giving conflicting information and creating confusion.

“There will be only one channel of communication. County Executive Committee members in county governments, let us communicate through Ministry of Health,” he said.

He said Kenyans should not create a situation where they were in conflict with police: “If you stay at home, nobody will arrest you.”