Earlier referred to as Patient 1, the first person to test
positive for Coronavirus in Kenya has come forth to share her story.
Brenda, who has since recovered from the virus,
stated that she is not sure where she contracted the virus but had travelled to
the US on December 19, 2019.
Once her stay was over she embarked on her journey back and
made a stop at Ohio and later London.
“I may have contracted the virus in London. A few days after
my arrival I started coughing and I decided to watch my body for a day.
“I then went to Mbagathi Hospital where I was immediately
given a mask. I underwent various tests and later I was informed that I had
tested positive for Coronavirus,” she said.
Brenda, who was speaking to President Uhuru Kenyatta via a
video call, lauded nurses who took care of her and encouraged her throughout
her illness.
“It was not an easy thing because the nurses were also under
pressure since I was the first patient and they had not seen this
before, the doctors as well.
Further, she assured Kenyans that the Coronavirus disease
was manageable and treatable.
"Sometimes you may show very mild symptoms, just a
cough and a headache and as a responsible Kenyan citizen, you should contact
the authorities and be confident because they are going to treat you,"
Brenda affirmed.
She said she had recovered fully and encouraged Kenyans
experiencing similar symptoms (cough, cold, fever) to come forth and get
tested.
Brian, who had also tested positive for the virus said he
contracted it from Brenda and was quickly tracked down by Ministry of Health
authorities.
He said he is now feeling much better after two weeks of treatment and echoed Brenda’s message that the disease is curable.