The first Covid-19 patient in West Pokot is recovering well at Kapenguria County Referral Hospital isolation ward.
The case was confirmed on Juy 29. The 39-year-old woman had travelled from Nairobi, a Covid-19 hotspot.
“The patient is stable. Tests of 41 people were taken and all are negative,” Governor John Longyangapuo said on Wednesday.
He announced that mass testing would begin but did not elaborate.
Speaking during a press briefing, Lonyangapuo also called on national government to ensure all counties have laboratories for testing Covid-19 instead of having few isolated testing centres.
He said the fight against Covid-19 and swift contact tracing may be hindered by lack of public laboratories in each of the 47 counties.
“In this county we have to take the samples over 200 kilometres to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret,” he said.
He said for timely measures to be taken and to prevent spread of the virus the government should ensure each county has a fully equipped lab to get results as fast as possible.
“Sometimes we get results after 24 hours. This may hinder us in taking necessary action due to delays in releasing results," the governor said.
The county boss said West Pokot has sent more than 40 samples for testing in Eldoret and it took more than 24 hours to get results.
“We have enough trained health workers and surveillance teams to help in fighting the pandemic. Our 300 isolation bed capacity is almost complete,” he said.
The governor also disclosed that a diabetic truck driver died in the county and tests revealed he was Covid-19 negative.
He asked anybody visiting the county to undergo all procedures before entering.
Lonyangapuo urged residents not to stigmatise patients and those who recover.
Residents have urged politicians to stop holding public gatherings since they are putting lives at risk.
“We call upon politicians to desist from moving around the county doing politics. The county might experience an upsurge of the trend of people gathering at one place continues,” resident Abraham Domongole said.
(Edited by V. Graham)
