Kilifi scales down services as CEC, five others contract Covid-19

The Kilifi county government will from Thursday scale down its operations for the next two weeks after six staffers tested positive for Covid-19.

Announcing the measures on Wednesday, Governor Amason Kingi said among those who have contracted the virus is a county executive committee member.

He said only officers offering critical services would be allowed into their workstations.

“We have decided to scale down our operations for the next two weeks so that we reduce the infection rate. The six officers have interacted with many people and that’s why we do not want to take chances. We are trying to avoid a scenario where someone comes to seek services, and then he or she gets infected,” Kingi said.

So far, Kilifi county has recorded 504 cases of Covid-19.

Since the first case was reported in the county, 24 medics have been infected while in the line of duty.

“We have made sure that our medical personnel have the right PPEs to protect themselves when they are trying to combat the virus,” Kingi said.

The governor also announced that county offices will be fumigated and voluntary mass testing for staff undertaken.

Even as he announced measures to reduce the spread of the virus, some hospitals and public places have continued to ignore the containment measures.

Kingi said such challenges have led to the upsurge of infections.

"We cannot use the police to fight Covid-19. We need to have personal responsibility. People still throng funerals and the mortuary, which is wrong," he said.

The governor said areas that recorded very few cases in the first wave now have many infections.

“Magarini had less than 10 cases in the first wave but now has 120. Malindi also had less than 10 but now has 93 cases. This is worrying and calls for concerted efforts to combat the pandemic,” Kingi said

He said testing is now being delayed after Kemri scaled-down the work to concentrate on research.

“We only have the Malindi laboratory doing the testing which takes about five days. We are in talks with Kemri to see if they can increase the number of tests as they used to in the first wave. Delayed testing is a recipe for the spread of the virus,” the governor said.

Edited by A.N