Coronavirus: 66 new confirmed cases push total infections to 1,029 in Kenya
Kenya’s total coronavirus infections have passed the 1,000 mark after 66 more people tested positive in the last 24 hours, ,the highest number confirmed so far.
According to Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, the fresh Covid-19 confirmed cases have now pushed the total number of infections in the country to 1,029.
Addressing the media at Afya House on Wednesday, Kagwe revealed that 64 of the new virus patients are Kenyans, while the remaining two are foreign nationals.
The CS said that 30 of the cases were recorded in Mombasa while 26 were in Nairobi with the areas of major concern being Likoni and Changamwe in Mombasa.
“Mombasa continues to be a challenge, in order to contain further spread of the virus, there shall be an extension of the cessation of movement in Old Town until June 6. Malls and eateries will remained closed until the same date,” said Kagwe.
The ministry of health also noted that Covid-19 cases are on the rise in the counties, with Kajiado reporting three of the new virus cases.
As such, the National Emergency Response Committee on Covid-19 has upscaled measures to contain the spread of coronavirus especially in areas listed as high-risk.
The government is grappling with a challenge of taming cross-border Covid-19 infections at the Namanga border with Tanzania used a lot by truck drivers.
Kagwe, however, apoligised to truck drivers for agonising experience they have to go through to transport cargo into and out of the country through Kenya’s borders.
He said: “We apologise and regret the inconvenience they continue to experience but these are necessary measures that must be taken.”
The border remains closed for all individuals and passengers vehicles save for truck drivers who are allowed to cross into Kenya, once they test negative for coronavirus.
Tens of Tanzanian truck drivers have been turned away at the border after testing Covid-19 positive, a move that irked Tanzania which threatened tougher measures.
Kenya government has at the same time received two mobile testing laboratories from the German embassy to assist in the fight against the deadly disease.
One laboratory will be stationed at the Namanga border and another at the Naivasha dry port.
“Given the nature of our porous borders, we can only be as strong as our weakest link. The challenges we have seen at the borders will hopefully be dealt with through the mobile labs,” added EAC CS Adan Mohamed.
Infections in the country have been increasing daily since March 13 when the first case was confirmed on a student who had arrived in from the US through the UK.
Among steps adopted to curb infections is a national dusk-to-dawn curfew and cessation of movement into and out of Eastleigh, a densely populated area in Nairobi, Old Town Mombasa and Mandera that borders Somalia in Northern Kenya.