Coronavirus cases jump to 16 after one more person tests positive
The number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 16 after one more person tested positive to the Covid-16.
This was announced on Monday by Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, as he revealed that his ministry has managed to trace 646 persons who came into close contact with eight confirmed patients.
According to Kagwe, 96 of the 646 contacts have already been released after completing the 14 day follow up period and the remaining 550 persons are still being processed to establish their status.
Kagwe said all the patients, except one who is at the coast, are still in stable condition and improving. 11 individuals are currently admitted at Mbagathi hospital awaiting test results.
“Let me reiterate that all passengers coming into the country between now and Wednesday must undergo mandatory quarantine either at their own expense in hotels or in designated government facilities,” Kagwe said.
He added: “I want at this point to issue an apology from the Ministry of Health and other government agencies that are involved in this exercise. To the parents and individuals who have been so inconvenienced since last night. We are aware that we had logistical challenges that we encountered as a result of the speed at which we wanted to move into quarantining individuals.”
The CS has confirmed that a priest from Siaya is one of the eight people he mentioned on Sunday to have tested positive for the coronavirus and being quarantined at Mbagathi hospital in Nairobi.
The priest had travelled to Rome in Italy, a hotbet of the virus, and has been isolated as those he came into close contact with are sought for screening and possible isolation.
“We have also done contact tracing with the people he came into contact with and it is a continuing exercise. But I also want to say that we are very grateful to the religious bodies that the whole day have been telephoning us others have issued statements to say that indeed they will comply with what we directed yesterday,” stated Kagwe.
He yet again appealed to Kenyans to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously and strictly adhere to advisories issued by the government for the country to be able to contain the fast spreading virus.