Kenya has ordered the isolation of passengers arriving at the JKIA from China from those from other international destinations to prevent a possible spread of coronavirus.
The move will allow the screening of the passengers and prevent them from mixing with the rest.
The isolation order was made following recommendations by the Ministry of Health to protect Kenyans and its visitors from coronavirus.
There is a serious outbreak of the virus in China. Up to 81 people had been killed on Monday with almost 3,000 confirmed ill.
The virus is concentrated in Wuhan city, home to about 11 million people and the capital of Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak.
The World Health Organization on Monday said 44 cases had been reported outside China including in France, Australia, USA, Canada, Thailand, Nepal, Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and Singapore.
Almost all had recently been to Wuhan or had been in close contact with someone who had.
No case has been confirmed in Africa and Kenya is among countries that have already instituted response measures.
"We have got 60 trained and sensitised health officials to detect and handle related cases," Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki said.
The officials were immediately deployed to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where all the four daily flights from China land.
“I can confirm we are safe and there has been no case of coronavirus. Our hospitals are well equipped and ready to handle this virus,” Kariuki said last week.
The coronavirus causes pneumonia. Symptoms include coughs, fever and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, there can be organ failure.
The coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory infection and there is no specific cure or vaccine. Most of the deaths have been of elderly people or those with pre-existing respiratory problems.
Medics say because this is viral pneumonia, antibiotics and the current drugs against flu are useless. Recovery of those infected depends on the strength of their immune systems.
The viral infection can be passed from person to person.
It is believed to have originated in a seafood market in December in central Wuhan that was illegally selling wildlife. It has since spread to Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai.
“We have activated our national task force that is now receiving updates from the Wealth Health Organization in Geneva on how best we can respond, to safeguard the Kenyan people,” Kariuki said.
According to the acting director-general at the Ministry of Health Patrick Amoth, Kenya receives at least four flights from China on a daily basis.
"We have started screening for all passengers coming from China as we wait for the WHO to give us the way forward,” Amoth said.
Already, an alert had been sent to all the 47 counties through the Council of Governors and the county directors of health.
The WHO has issued control measures to be taken to reduce the risks of coronavirus infection.
“While the cause of pneumonia seems to be a novel coronavirus, transmission potential and modes of transmission remain unclear,” the UN agency said.
Some of the measures include cleaning hands with soap or an alcohol-based hand rub after sneezing or coughing, when caring for the sick, before, during and after preparing food and before eating.
edited by peter obuya
