• Mwangangi said since the virus is moving to the counties, it is in order for the government to re-strategise and prepare its citizens for the worst.
• The CAS said the mass testing exercise will be based on priorities of high-risk regions.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
The government has said it will embark on mass testing amid efforts to contain the Covid-19 virus.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Mercy Mwangangi said the move follows the risks around profiled clusters.
Mwangangi said since the virus is moving to the counties, it is in order for the government to re-strategise and prepare its citizens for the worst.
The CAS said the mass testing exercise will be based on priorities of high-risk regions.
She said 12,000 testing kits will be deployed in phase one that will cover Nairobi, Mandera, Mombasa and Siaya counties.
On Monday Health CS Mutahi Kagwe had said the government would go for the targeted testing as opposed to the mass testing.
Kagwe said targeted testing was bound to yield effective results.
"Going to test for instance staff from an institution where an employee tested positive is more effective. Going for a cluster in one of the estates would save more time compared to just going for anybody," he said.
Kagwe said with such targeted testing, it will even be easier to trace those that have been in contact with any patient that might test positive.
"If we ease off on measures that we have already put in place, we are likely to have a wave that we have never seen," Kagwe said.
"A little success should not be construed to mean a lot of success. It is true our projections were higher than it is but we are nowhere near out of the deep waters," he added.
CAS Mwangangi on Tuesday announced eight new Covid-19 cases out of 694 samples tested in the last 24 hours.
The number of positive coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 216.
Mwangangi said one person has recovered bringing the total to 41 recoveries.
“We shall be conducting mass testing in the coming days with a focus on quarantine centres, hotels and hospitals,” she said.
Mwangangi said with targeted clusters, Kibra constituency will be prioritised.
According to the CAS, some 1,000 testing kits will be deployed to the Kenya Ports Authority following the rising number of positive cases where two employees have died.
She said so far the cases have spread in all regions of Coastal, North Eastern, Western, Rift Valley and North Eastern.