Stopping Chinese nationals from coming to Kenya over Coronavirus is discriminatory, the government has said.
Ministry of Health CAS Rashid Aman said it is not fair to stop Chinese flights to Kenya just because the virus originates from there.
On Wednesday, Kenyans expressed their disappointment with the Government for allowing China Southern flights to the country.
The China Southern Airlines Flight touched down at JKIA with 239 passengers on board.
"It is discriminatory to stop it considering how the virus has already spread to other countries. Just because someone is coming from China doesn't mean he has the virus," he said.
Aman said many travelers are coming in from other countries which might also have cases of infection.
"We should be careful not to label people in a certain way.... and we should also be very careful to protect our people," he said.
But he noted that there may come a time when stopping flights from China will be necessary.
Aman said all flights coming out of China go through a rigorous level of screening within the airport, thereafter, on the Southern China Airline the passengers are screened on board and during travel and they are monitored as they self-quarantine.
On self-quarantine, the CAS said quarantine does not mean the person is exposed or infected with the virus. He said it is only an extreme precautionary measure.
Aman said the travelers who landed in Kenya yesterday from China have been given strict guidelines on the conditions they all need to observe.
"They are required to self-check on body temperature plus look out for the obvious symptoms of infection which are respiratory illnesses," he said.
He said a monitoring team will also do a routine follow up on all travelers who were on board the Chinese flight where samples will be taken to confirm whether they need the necessary criteria of
On nationalities who were aboard the flight yesterday,198 of the 239 were Chinese nationals while 30 were on transit to other countries and the rest were crew
