8 truck drivers from Tanzania denied entry into Kenya after testing positive for Covid-19 at Namanga

Eight truck drivers from Tanzania have been denied entry into Kenya after they tested positive for Covid-19 at the Namanga border.

Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi said the border areas have become among the key areas of focus and in particular Namanga town that borders Kenya and Tanzania.

“Our porous borders are now the ones that have become the latest high risk areas in the transmission of the disease. Truck drivers are becoming the other weak link in the fight against the virus,” she said.

Dr. Mwangangi acknowledged that Kenyans have expressed concern over the porous border points but offered reassurance saying as part of the East African Community (EAC), the government is in communication with its counterparts on how best to handle the situation.

Though she did not go into details, the CAS said the National Emergency Response Committee is monitoring the situation and will not hesitate to take any measures as the situation dictates.

“I wish to urge Kenyans to remain calm and exercise patience as the Government addresses the situation,” she added.

The Health CAS further appealed to communities living within and around the border points to actively exercise Nyumba Kumi community policing.

She said the communities must remain vigilant and report any suspicious individuals who may be using panya routes to get into Kenya.

Namanga was put on the list of high-risk zones on May 14, 2020 after 25 truck drivers from the border town tested positive for coronavirus.

Health CAS Rashid Aman said on Wednesday that a mobile testing lab is set to be deployed to the Namanga border.

“The mobile testing lab will be used to run Covid-19 tests for truck drivers and is key for surveillance and monitoring of the virus within member states of the EAC,” he said.