Baringo on Monday became the 45th county to record Covid-19 cases as five tested positive for the virus.
County health Executive Committee Mary Panga on Monday said the cases were reported in Marigat, Baringo South subcounty.
“As residents of Baringo, we should now be more careful with the stipulated coronavirus rules because the disease is already here with us” Panga said.
She said results were part of the several samples taken last week to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH)-Eldoret.
“Initially people thought it is a disease affecting people far away, but it is now here with us,” she said, adding that more samples have been taken for testing.
So far the county has set aside Kaptimbor dispensary in Baringo Central and Eldama-Ravine Subcounty Hospital as Covid-19 isolation centres.
Earlier, Governor Stanley Kiptis stated plans to equip Mogotio Subcounty Hospital with 150 beds.
Kiptis further lauded the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) for partnering with Baringo to fight the disease.
He said the county is fairly prepared to handle the pandemic.
“We have received some consignments of assorted goods including face masks, sanitizers, hand washing containers and detergent to be distributed across the subcounties,” Kiptis said.
The county boss further noted many residents are dealing with hunger amid the pandemic.
“We have over 600,000 people and majority have been displaced by insecurity and floods,” he said.
“As County government we have since purchased about 7,000 bags of maize and 2,000 bags of beans but it is just a drop in the ocean” he said.
