• Governors have indicated they will push for the reintroduction of tough measures to curb the virus.
• Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya on Tuesday said counties are getting overwhelmed.
Image: PSCU
The current surge in coronavirus cases will top the agenda in today's sixth extraordinary session of the national and county governments co-ordinating summit at State House, Nairobi.
The session presided over by President Uhuru Kenyatta will also see the crucial matter of schools' reopening discussed.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe is expected to give an update on the disease situation across the country while Education CS George Magoha giving an update on the reopening of learning institutions.
The Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya will also give an update on the status of the county government preparedness to tackle a possible second wave.
The summit will also get a brief from the Inter-Faith Council on the resumption of congregational worship and other sectors including transport, hospitality, Funeral gatherings and marketplaces.
Oparanya will further give a brief on the proposed policy response to the Coronavirus Pandemic before the summit heads to a plenary and later adoption of the resolutions.
Thereafter the President will issue his 13th State of the Nation address with regards to the pandemic at around 3 pm.
Governors have indicated they will push for the reintroduction of tough measures to curb the virus.
Possible lockdown and increased curfew hours are among measures on the card, with the President expected to meet the National Security Council later in the week to make a decision.
Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya on Tuesday said counties are getting overwhelmed.
“There needs to be tougher measures that would contain the spread of Covid because even as we speak, most counties are experiencing a spike in admissions,” the Kakamega governor said.
Oparanya said today's meeting will review the surge for the last two months and design the next steps aimed at slowing down the rate of infection.
“The President will make a decision after studying the trends and projections from experts,” he said.
The country is currently under a 11 pm-4 am curfew without any lockdown after the President reviewed strict measures initially imposed to curb the spread.
Experts have warned that blatant disregard of public health protocols has resulted in increased cases of community infections that now threaten to roll back the gains made in the virus fight.
Last Sunday, Uhuru hinted at a possible return to stricter virus containment measures in a bid to tame the surge.
“We are going through that difficult time where we are now wondering what to do. Do we close up? We shall be coming back to that. Not today, but soon,” Uhuru said when he attended a church service at the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi.
He admitted that the country was in a serious problem following the surge in the infections in the last few weeks.
“We don’t have to (close) if only people would observe and would be caring for their fellow citizens. It is possible to keep Covid at bay and lead a normal life,” he said.
The disease has killed 1,027 people in the country and infected 56,601 others.