South African quarantined in Nakuru after escaping at airport

A South African woman has been placed on 14-day forced quarantine after sneaking from the airport and failing to clear with the immigration.

The 27-year-old was traced to Namcha in Mai Mahiu by public health workers and police before she was taken to Naivasha Subcounty Hospital and later to Nakuru.

The woman flew into the country on Monday after having spent one week in South Africa which is one of the most affected countries on the continent.

Naivasha subcounty commissioner Mathioya Mbogo said the woman did not join those being taken for isolation.

She instead took her car which she had parked within the airport and drove to Mai Mahiu where she has been working in one of the firms.

“We managed to trace her and she has been placed under quarantine in Kiti in Nakuru and she will definitely be charged after the 14 days,” he said.

This came two days after 25 workers from one of the hotels in Naivasha were put on quarantine in the hotel after coming into contact with a French national who has since tested positive for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Kenya has suspended the joint geothermal drilling between Kengen and Ethiopia following the pandemic that has affected hundreds of countries in the world.

As a result, close to 60 Kengen drilling crew who had been assisting the Ethiopia government in drilling the geothermal wells have been flown back.

The workers mainly from Olkaria Naivasha left the country last month for the multi-million project of exploring geothermal power in Tulu Moye.

Last year, the Kenyan and Ethiopian governments entered into a pact that would see Kenya assist with expertise in exploring the clean energy.

According to a communication to the workers, the programme had been indefinitely suspended in the wake of the outbreak.

One of the junior workers said they had already flown into the country and had been isolated in a hotel in Nairobi.

“Due to the virus, Kengen has decided to suspend the ongoing geothermal drilling in Ethiopia until the situation stabilises,” the worker said.

The move comes barely a fortnight after the power generating company suspended geothermal drilling in Olkaria, Naivasha.

The company also sent home more than 300 workers on a 30-day paid leave as part of measures to contain the spread of the disease. 

Edited by R.Wamochie