Only four inmates at the Kisii Remand Prison tested positive for Covid-19, officials clarified Wednesday.
The figure is a revision downward from the 11 announced on Monday by County Commissioner Allan Machari.
So far only 98 prisoners had been put in quarantine and not the 250 as earlier stated by the authorities.
Prison officials told the Star a fresh tally showed only a fraction of those brought into the remand are positive and that they are not badly off.
"It is not that alarming, nothing to worry, even those four are recovering," said an officer at the prison who declined to be named.
Separately, police in Kisii on Wednesday warned matatus against overloading passengers following a surge in the virus spread in the region.
County Police Commander Francis Kooli fingered operators plying the Kisii-Nyamira, Kisii - Keroka and Kisii roads as the most notorious.
"As a measure to ensure compliance, we will seize the passengers, the drivers and tout and impound the vehicle to the police station. In extremes we may go for the vehicle owners," said Kooli.
At least three drivers have been arrested and their vehicles impounded during a three-day crackdown.
Twelve bodaboda operators were also arrested and booked in for breaking curfew rules on Tuesdays night.
Kooli said a total of 123 people across the county will be taken to court for not wearing masks.
An additional 153 people were seized for loitering outside during curfew hours.
Kooli said security agents would continue the swoops even as he urged compliance by the residents.
"The ultimate aim is not just to arrest just for the sake of doing so but sending a signal to all that this disease is no respecter of anybody and we must take care," said the police boss.
Kisii has been flagged among the hotspots where infections had been on the rise for the past few weeks.
At least 1,820 people have contracted the virus since its outbreak March in 2020.
Governor James Ongwae says the county has lost more than 50 people to the pandemic so far.
A 7 pm to 4 am curfew has been imposed by the government in the county to stem further infections.
The curfews have however received criticism from a section of matatu owners who asked the government to revise it to 9 pm to 4 pm.
They said as operators they are already bearing the brunt of the punishment from security agents for breaking the curfew rules.
"We ask the government to relax the curfews to 9 pm because we sometimes carry people who are sick and who need to get to their homes," said Thomas Kenani, a matatu owner.
