•Out of the nine new cases, seven are Kenyan while two are foreigners
•Of the seven, three contracted the disease from contact with other confirmed cases
The number of coronavirus cases in the country stood at 25 on Tuesday.
Nine new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours from tests carried out on 82 suspected cases.
The tests were done at the National Influenza Centre, Kemri Nairobi, Kemri Kilifi and Aga Khan Hospital.
Out of the nine cases, seven were Kenyan while two were foreigners.
Of the seven, three contracted the virus from contact with other confirmed cases while the four were from other countries affected by the virus.
The government will today announce further measures to curb the virus as the number of infected persons rises.
“We will be issuing new measures in view and in consideration of the developments so far. There are ongoing meetings and tomorrow we will be able to announce what other measures the government has been able to take to respond to the environment and the situation that is now presenting itself to us,” Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said yesterday.
The confirmed cases are spread out in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties, which had been flagged as high-risk areas.
“We have identified certain counties that we feel are high risk and indeed the four counties that I have counted we have always felt that these counties have got extra exposure and we have also taken measures in those counties to create extra capacity and extra response mechanism than would be in other counties,” the CS added.
"The new patients have already been taken into isolation in our facilities and are being monitored by our medical personnel together with others previously turned positive."
Tracing of contacts for the new patients as well as those of the previous patients is ongoing.
The total number of close contacts stands at 745. Out of this 98 had been discharged by yesterday after completing 14 days follow up period.
Fifteen individuals are admitted at Mbagathi Hospital waiting for their test results.
Kagwe noted that all the patients were in good condition except for two elderly ones who had shown signs of being unwell.
The government on Monday flew a ventilator to be used by a French patient in Kilifi whom the CS said had shown signs of improvement.
He hinted that the patients in isolation might soon be confirmed negative based on the current progress reports.
“All the other people that have tested positive are okay and we think we might have some good news but we don’t want to start announcing things then start going backwards but keep your fingers crossed. I think soon we can actually be happy about what we are receiving,” the CS said.
Kagwe urged mandatory testing for all contact cases and travelers, adding that the intervention is aimed at stopping further importation of the virus into the country.
He however called on those handling travelers and those people already in quarantine to exercise patriotism, generosity and consideration to avoid adding insult to injury.
“The hotels that the travelers in quarantine are staying in must not take advantage of them. It is immoral to take advantage of persons who have no choice. Adding on huge profits on the backbone of suffering Kenyans is unacceptable,” Kagwe said.
The state is in talks with the Chinese government to acquire faster testing kits that would help in fast tracking cases and reduce time taken in getting results.
In addition, there are plans to set up another testing centre in the North Rift region to cater for counties within the region.
“You now appreciate that getting anything connected with Covid-19 from anywhere in the world is now a challenge and difficult but we are also exploring the possibility of supplementing what we are importing with local production particularly in masks, in uniforms and other gear.”
The minister rebuked parents who instead of keeping their children safe from the virus were exposing them to danger.
“The kids were not sent home on holiday. The kids were sent home for protection. We are suffering from cases of indiscipline and Kenyans are exhibiting indisciplined and this is going to cost us,” Kagwe warned.
He noted that some parents wer instead inviting people who might have been exposed to the virus to their homes.
“It is a grievous mistake for us to give you your child because we don’t want the child exposed and then you go exposing the child at home. We want responsibility among citizens.”
Edited by Henry Makori