Coronavirus: City Market to remain closed for more days – VIDEO
Nairobi County government has extended the closure of City Market to Thursday to allow for fumigation.
On Monday, City Hall Health Executive Hitan Majevdia gave traders at the popular Nairobi City Centre market a one-day closure notice to allow for the market’s fumigation but this has been extended to Thursday.
This is part of a wider exercise by the county’s public health officials in the battle to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has seen 16 people test positive in the country.
The market, popular for meat products including fish, chicken, pork, beef and mutton, fresh produce and curios, attracts hundreds of customers every single day.
Mr Majevdia said the market will remain closed until Thursday to allow for the completion of the fumigation exercise with the extended closure to ensure that the commodities sold at the market are not affected by the chlorine chemical used during the fumigation.
“We informed traders through notices that as from Tuesday this week they will be required to close shops so that we can carry out fumigation. Inasmuch as we don’t want to affect businesses, we must safe guard the lives of our people against coronavirus,” Mr Majevdia said.
Before reopening the market
The Health Executive explained that before reopening the market, traders would be required to clean their respective stalls and the entire market with soap and water as a measure of keeping the Covid-19 at bay.
“Once they have complied with these measures, then they can re-open the market at their own will and timing,” he said.
Other markets in Nairobi such as Wakulima Market, also known as Marikiti, Gikomba, Burma and Muthurwa have also been fumigated.
Other areas such as General Post Office (GPO) bus stop, Kencom Bus Stop, Khoja Stage, City Market, Hilton Hotel Public seating area, National Archives, Jeevanjee Gardens, Bus Station, Hakati Road, Tom Mboya Stage, Railways Bus Stop, Aga Khan Walk, Ronald Ngala Street and Mfangano Lane have also been fumigated against coronavirus.
Fumigation and screening exercises were launched by Nairobi County government in partnership with Ministry of Health last week.
Nearly 13,000 residents have been screened with no one registering above normal temperature readings.
A total of 12,590 individuals have been screened, among them 5,100 adults, 5,515 children and 3,477 youths with only two individuals having “elevated temperatures”.
Henceforth, Nairobi County Health Deputy Director Wilson Langat said the exercise will be taking place as from 8am to avoid a prolonged interruption of business during the exercise.
“The decision to conduct the fumigation during the morning hours was so as to ensure before that we cover every inch of the market before traders set up shop and there is few trade activities,” said Langat.