• Twenty-three counties have set up emergency isolation centres.
• All the county governments have developed contingency plans and budgets to guide the implementation of preparedness and response activities.
Image: /REUTERS
All counties have received 5,000 coronavirus protective kits and 14 high-risk counties have received 10,000 kits from the national government.
Kenya has no recorded coronavirus cases.
So far, 23 counties have set up emergency isolation centres. Those remaining are expected to do so as soon as possible.
Fourteen counties that have been categorised as high-risk have each received 10,000 kits.
They include Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Kakamega, Kisumu, Busia, Migori, Nakuru, Kajiado, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Kilifi, Wajir and Garissa because of their proximity to international borders.
The kits include face masks, gloves, gowns, shoe covers, head covers, respirators, eye protection, face shields and goggles to be used by health workers.
Nairobi is among high-risk areas on grounds that it is the region’s biggest commercial hub with the biggest port of entry at JKIA.
Mombasa and Kilifi are seaport counties while Nakuru, Machakos and Uasin Gishu re transit counties.
Kiambu and Kakamega counties are considered high-risk because they are close Nairobi and Busia, respectively.
“All the 47 county governments have set up multi-agency emergency response committees at two levels of healthcare (levels 4 and 5) to deal with the threat of COVID-19,” Council of Governors chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya said on Wednesday.
He spoke at the CoG offices in Nairobi.
Each county will have a team, co-chaired by the governor and the county commissioner. Other members include CECs for Health, Finance, Public Works and Education, chief officer of Health, county chief of staff and the county police commander.
“We wish to assure the country that there is no cause for alarm at the county level as stringent measures have been put in place,” Oparanya said.
CoG Health committee chair Mohamed Kuti said, "Counties have to be very prepared because someone will come without symptoms [and spread the virus] and then develop the symptoms when they reach the counties."
In addition, all the county governments have developed contingency plans and budgets for preparedness and response.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe had given counties two days to outline their requirements and present them to the national government for budgeting.
“The law stipulates that each county sets aside at least two per cent of its budget for emergencies like this. Those that do not have it are supposed to quickly come up with a supplementary budget,” Oparanya said.
So far, 121,061 cases of coronavirus have been reported worldwide, with at last 4,368 deaths recorded. Some 66,216 people have recovered.
An update released by the African Union on Wednesday says 105 cases have been reported in African countries.
According to the report, 11 countries have reported positive tests for the virus, the latest being the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The countries are Egypt, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Togo and Tunisia.
Counties are broadcasting correct information on all vernacular stations.
Edited by A. Ndung'u