Kenya on Friday confirmed its first case of coronavirus. The country’s minister for Health Mutahi Kagwe while making the announcement said, the patient is a Kenyan citizen who traveled back to Nairobi returning from the US via London on March 5.
She was confirmed positive by the National Influenza Center Laboratory in Kenya.
Additionally the Minister said “The 27 year old lady is stable and eating, she will not be released from hospital until she is confirmed negative.
The Kenyan Government also maintains that it has traced all the contacts that the lady interacted with.
Kagwe however urged the public that there is no need for alarm.
“The government through the Ministry of Health together with the National Emergency Committee on the disease will respond on the mitigation measures appropriately,” he said.
He added that those most vulnerable are the elderly and those with chronic illnesses and they should not be put at risk.
The minister invoked the public health act and banned all religious events, public gatherings, meetings games. He said no more church services without sanitizers for the worshippers.
Inter schools events have been suspended but the schools will remain open.
All prison visits have been suspended for the next 30 days. All public transport providers must provide hand sanitizers to their passengers.
The Minister also advised the public to regularly and thoroughly wash hands with soap and water and use alcohol-based sanitizers.
“Maintain a distance of five feet between and those who are coughing or sneezing. Those who are sneezing should stay home,” he said.
“Cover your mouth and nose while sneezing. Stay at home if you have a fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.”
The minister also urged Kenyans not to indulge in spreading falsheoods using social media platforms.
There will be travel restrictions outside the country and especially no travel at all to the corona epicenter countries, the minister concluded.
