Miraa chewers have been risking their lives by not observing social distancing and this must stop, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has said.
Kagwe said the khat chewers seem to enjoy the stimulant much more when they are closer together.
"But the enjoyment will also be the same when you put some distance between yourselves," said Kagwe.
He spoke on Thursday at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital after touring health facilities in Mombasa county.
Mombasa is one of the counties where miraa, which has been categorised as a drug by Nacada, is chewed in large quantities.
By Thursday afternoon, Mombasa had a total of 1,663 cases from a sample size of over 24,000 tests.
Some 733 people have recovered while there have been 56 deaths from Covid-19.
A total of 811 Covid-19 patients in Mombasa have been admitted while 335 patients are under home-based care.
Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi said, however, although Mombasa has a high infection rate at 138 positive cases for every 100,000 people, the infections are decreasing.
"This is because of the measures we have taken and that residents are now heeding to the directives issued," said Kingi.
CS Kagwe gave Mombasa county a high approval rate, saying the county is leading the country in preparedness.
"Mombasa is well on it's way to achieving this (preparedness) and so far it is setting the bar," he said.
