@Waithaka06
A passenger who flew in the same plane with the woman diagnosed with Kenya's first case of Covid-19 is self-quarantined at a house in Cottage Hospital in Nanyuki town.
While briefing media on the state of coronavirus surveillance, preparedness and response, Laikipia Health executive Dr Lenai Kamario said the person will be quarantined until Thursday.
“We were informed on Friday of contact with the first index case who had visited Cottage Hospital. The contact has not shown any symptoms of Covid-19,” Kamario said at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral hospital.
He said the person is stable and assured of support from the hospital, the county and others.
Kamario said the passenger had flown to visit a terminally ill relative admitted at the medical facility.
He outlined measures the county has put in place to caution residents against contracting and spreading the disease.
They include setting up quarantine centres with a total capacity of 53 beds in 10 health facilities. The county also has trained health managers, laboratory technicians and medical officers at Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi.
Kamario said the county has had to postpone its first Universal Health Care (UHC) conference next week. Large gatherings are banned.
“We all remember Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome — SARS — of 2002 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome — MERS — of 2012. These were infections by coronaviruses, he said.
He said that 80 per cent of the new type, Covid-19, are mild and those who become very sick are the elderly ailing and those with weak immune systems and chronic diseases.
Kamario said not every cough is a sign of coronavirus. The symptoms include dry cough, headache, fever and breathing problems. The person must have travelled to places where the disease has broken out or a hospital where coronavirus patients are being treated.
He urged residents to wash their hands with soap and water and use alcohol-based sanitizers when they cannot wash with water.
(Edited by V. Graham)
