Kagwe rules out relaxing containment measures as Covid cases spike in counties

The Health ministry has raised an alarm over a spike in Covid-19 cases in counties not within the zoned area under lockdown.

The counties on government radar include Murang’a, Uasin Gishu, Siaya and Nyeri.

The ministry now wants the county emergency committees to come up with county specific containment measures to help curb the spread of the virus and avoid a surge.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Wednesday noted that despite there being a drop in infection rate in the counties under lockdown, the spike in cases in other counties is a threat to the progress achieved so far.

“We have spoken to governors and county commissioners in those counties and asked them to take county specific measures so that we can contain the spikes in those areas,” Kagwe said.

“If that happens and if we continue the way we are going then it is likely that we are going to go down to the recommended five per cent flattening rate that WHO says is what we should be aiming at,” he added.

The CS however noted that the containment measures put in place will not be relaxed despite the drop in infection rate.

Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Kajiado and Nakuru were put on lockdown after a recommendation by the National Emergency Response Committee in an effort to help combat the fast spreading disease in the said counties.

In the last few days, there has been a drop in the positivity rate from the high of more than 20 per cent last month to around 10 per cent.

Kagwe said calls by a section of Kenyans to open up the economy are premature as adding that other factors such as hospital admission rates and ICU bed occupancy will also have to determine when the measures are relaxed.

The CS noted there is a slight drop but the hospitalization rate and ICU bed occupancy continues to be very high.

“There is a lot of pressure for us to open up certain areas but I think we should be led by science and we must be led by facts rather than just feelings,” the CS said.

He added: “We have no choice for the time being and as much as we sympathize with our fellow Kenyans we have to keep the containment measures at least until we come down to a level that is understandable.”

On the issue of vaccines, the CS has called on the Kenyans to be patient as the government tries to explore other avenues of getting more doses for the second doses.

Kenya is exploring getting additional doses through the African Union agreement after uncertainty on the availability of the next consignment, as the SERUM institute in India battles to serve the local population.

India has been struggling to contain the virus that has seen their health facilities overstretched and deaths in a single day go as high as 1,500.

“We appeal to Kenyans to be patient with us because it is not a Kenyan problem, it is a global problem. Most countries in Africa are about to stop vaccinating now because of the lack of vaccines not because they have not asked for, not because they have not bought but there is a supply problem.”