@githinjireuben
People have collapsed and died of Covid-19 in Embu county because they did not seek medical treatment in time after falling ill.
Embu West deputy county commissioner Caroline Imaya said on Monday some residents have not been taking the coronavirus seriously. They ignore safety protocols.
She did not disclose the number of deaths.
Because of their casual attitude, they had not sought medical attention even after experiencing symptoms of the virus, Imaya told a meeting about natural products to boost immunity..
The people tested positive for Covid-19 after their deaths.
Imanya said it was important to seek quick treatment whenever one has Covid-19 symptoms to avoid severe illness and spread of the disease.
She emphasised the disease was being transmitted at the community level. She urged people to be extra-cautious, wear masks, wash their hands with running water, use sanitiser, keep social distance and avoid crowds.
Imanya addressed a meeting about natural products to boost immunity against Covid-19 in Embu town. It was presided over by National Museums of Kenya’s director general Mzalendo Kivunjia.
The meeting was attended by traditional health practitioners (THPs) or herbalists, from Kirinyaga, Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties.
The most common symptoms of Covid-19 include fever, dry cough and fatigue.
Other symptoms include aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhoea, headache and loss of taste or smell.
Serious symptoms include difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure.
Since the onset of the pandemic in March, more than 300 Embu residents have tested positive for the virus. About 94 are hospitalised or in home-based isolation care.
Kibunjia said he was very optimistic the country will discover a herbal cure for the Covid-19. He said herbal products have been used to treat very serious diseases over the years.
He said the National Museum of Kenya through the Natural Products Initiative (NPI) has started a national flagship programme. It involves research on natural health products to boost the immune response to Covid-19.
The Kenya Medical Research Institute and local communities recognise the benefits of traditional practitioners, he said.
Kibunjia said the US and other countries use many traditional natural products worth more than Sh2.7 trillion a year. He expressed regret that Kenya has not tapped its natural products potential.
Kibunjia said Kenya has ratified the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit sharing in the use of indigenous knowledge and associated genetic resources.
(Edited by V. Graham)
