The Government has confirmed 29 more cases of Coronavirus and two deaths in the last 24 hours bringing the total number of positive cases to 110.
The two patients who had tested positive, died in Nairobi and Mombasa respectively bringing the total number of those who have died to three.
Making the announcement the Cabinet for Health Mutahi Kagwe, instructed all Boda Boda , tuktuk and matatu drivers to wear masks henceforth including their passengers.
He revealed that the Government has authorized local production of face masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for health workers, which will be availed to them through Counties and public transport associations.
The 29 confirmed cases were from 662 samples that were tested in the last 24 hours, twenty eight Kenyans and one Congolese.
“Going forward it will now be possible for one to acquire the masks from the tailors cheaply but with the right materials,” he explained.
He also advised the members of the public against traveling up country during Easter holidays. “We are discouraging mass movement of people staying in Nairobi from travelling upcountry. The dangers of this are real. It is very easy to transfer the virus to those living up country especially the elderly,” he noted.
CS Kagwe stressed that the situation on coronavirus in the country is not getting any better, and that the disease is a pandemic thus stiffer measures will be implemented to deal with the disease.
In order to heighten the level of preparedness, the CS said that the government has now instructed with immediate effect the hiring of 5000 skilled health workers across the country within the next 7 days and Counties have been instructed to submit their requirements by Wednesday next week while the hospitals who have given their requirements have been instructed to continue hiring.
“It is our wish that in the next seven days the hospital will have hired an additional 1000 health workers and this means that at least 6000 additional health workers will be in place to fight the pandemic,” he added.
He urged the County Commissioners and Headteachers with boarding facilities, to start planning ahead for any eventuality.
Out of the confirmed 29 cases 13 are males and 16 females aged between 16 to 64 years. Twenty three (23) of them were detected in the designated quarantine facilities while six (6) are from suspected cases admitted in isolation units in various Health facilities.
“Fellow Kenyans I do not want to scare you, but with the figures, the number is likely to rise. It is important to note that this virus does not move by itself. It is moved by you and I. we must change our behavior and attitude if we have to cut the transmission of the virus,” the CS said.
He also confirmed that the Deputy Governor of Kilifi, County Gideon Saburi, who had been placed under mandatory quarantine has fully recovered and had been declared fit after being subjected to three tests, all of which turned negative.
Dr. Patrick Amoth , the Acting Director General added that local transmission is now in the country, clustered in various counties.
“Out of the over 100 plus cases that have been confirmed about 30 or 40 local transmission with no history of travel, others with no history of contact with COVID 19. We are in the era of local transmission,” he emphasized.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
