Nairobi
By Andrew Ombuni
- First patient to be diagnosed of Covid 19 was in November 17, last year in China
- Kenyan government says the fourth patient travelled from the UK on March 9
- He has been quarantined at Kenyatta National hospital
- Health CS Mutahi Kagwe bans public gatherings, weddings and night clubs
- Death toll globally has risen to over 60000
- WHO: Over 200,000 have been infected globally
- About 68,000 victims have recovered from Corona Virus
Kenya has confirmed another case of coronavirus, which makes it to four patients who have tested positive of the deadly virus.
The patient is currently undergoing treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) flew into the country on March 9, this year from London in the United Kingdom.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe while making the announcement at Afya House in Nairobi on Tuesday evening, he said the patient was confirmed positive, by the National Influenza Centre Laboratory at the National Public Health Laboratories of the Ministry of Health.
“The government is tracing all the 36 people the patient came in contact with so that tests can be carried on them. This is because the two cases we confirmed on Sunday were in contact with the first patient who turned out positive after tests were carried out on her. They were on the same plane,” said Kagwe.
“We tested 27 patients who were in contact with the first victim were tested and two of them turned positive. This is the reason we are not taking this matter lightly,” he added.
Kagwe revealed that 23 other people who had been quarantined at Mbagathi hospital have tested negative and released to go on self-quarantine for fourteen more days.
He said the National Influenza Centre Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) has so far tested over 111 people since the outbreak of the virus in Kenya,
“Any Kenyan who is abroad is allowed to come back to the country but upon tests, he or she must go for self-quarantine. When the Public Health Act has been invoked, quarantine is mandatory and not voluntary failure to which will attract a fine or a bid sentence behind bars,” said Kagwe.
He said those traveling into Kenya will have to swear a legal document (affidavit) at the airport before being allowed into the country.
Kagwe asked all learning institutions to ensure all learners are at home before the end of this week and asked parents to stop taking their children to social places until the situation is brought under control.
He said the ban outlawing weddings, funeral, church services and nightclubs is still on.
He directed that the Public transport to also provide hand sanitisers and tissue papers for the passengers to clean their hands before boarding the vehicles as well ensure the vehicles are clean to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
Meanwhile, the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Dr Jackson Ole Sapit has suspended physical church services for the next 30 days.
Ends
