COVID-19: Magoha directed to identify county schools as isolation centres

The government has directed the Education Ministry to provide the country with 20 boarding schools for usage as isolation centres.

Deputy President William Ruto announced this via Twitter on Monday.

Kenya has so far had one fatality and 42 confirmed coronavirus cases since its outbreak on March 13. Global deaths now stand at over 34,000.

"Gok has directed the ministry of education to work with all county governments to identify at least 20 boarding schools per county," he said.

"... to be prepared or equipped for use as health facilities as part of Covid-19 preparedness. The Health Ministry will work with governors to ensure it is done ASAP."

Ruto asked Kenyans to continue to comply with directives on personal hygiene and curfew.

"We thank the millions including religious leaders for exceptional compliance. This pandemic poses an existential threat therefore every effort counts," he said.

"This is no time for the blame game. Let's pull together."

This comes after the government said on Sunday that 1,000 medics will be hired in the next week to handle the rising number of coronavirus infection.

The new medics include nurses, clinical officers, lab technologists and doctors, among others.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said they will also increase the number of makeshift Intensive Care Unit beds by about 1,000.

Currently, Kenya has about 400 ICU beds.

Kagwe said the World Bank has also donated 250 ventilators, and the government was trying to buy some more from abroad but was facing a shortage.

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