The Kitui county administration is considering an order for the compulsory wearing of face masks by all residents to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Health chief officer Richard Muthoka said they were aware of positive reports from the Czech Republic about the effectiveness of masks.
“The Czech Republic ordering compulsory wearing of masks by its residents has reduced the rate of infection of Covid-19 whereas their neighbours in Europe are faced with very high numbers,” Muthoka said.
He spoke to the media on Wednesday after a meeting on the impact of measures taken by the county to combat the coronavirus outbreak. The meeting was chaired by Governor Charity Ngilu.
“The use of masks has helped flatten the infection curve in the European country,” Muthoka said.
Kitui County Textile Centre has received numerous orders to make face masks but priority will be given to distributing the protective gear to locals, he said.
Muthoka said the Kitui assembly had allocated Sh10 million to fight the virus. Some of it will be used to buy thermometers to help screen anyone coming into the county.
“Checkpoints will be mounted for all persons entering Kitui to be screened for coronavirus,” the chief officer said.
He announced that fumigation of all major market centres across Kitui will be done three days a week. The exercise commenced on Wednesday night.
Kitui has confirmed one patient — Catholic priest Nicholas Maanzo who returned to the country from Ireland. He has been isolated at the Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi and is responding to treatment.
Muthoka said that nine contacts of the priest had been identified and would be tested for the virus.
(edited by o. owino)
