Chinese National isolated in Kitui over fears of Coronavirus

The Ministry of Health in Kitui has allayed fears of Coronavirus exposure after a Chinese National was quarantined at Mutomo, Kitui South.

Kitui Chief Officer in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation Dr. Richard Muthoka says the Chinese National was part of a team of 18 people who are set to arrive in the country for work.

The other 17 Chinese nationals are yet to arrive at a time when Kenya is on high alert over the Novel Coronavirus outbreak in China’s region of Wuhan.

“The patient will remain isolated for 14 days, we have sent samples to KEMRI pending a check on the health condition of the said patient,” Muthoka said.

Muthoka told Musyi FM that his office was notified by a hospital staff that there was a native of China under isolation at the health facility.

The man who has not been identified will be at the facility for two weeks.

The 14-day wait is the gestation period for virus before the symptoms such as difficulty in breathing manifest.

In the meantime, the ministry which is working with the local government will collect samples for lab tests before he can be released from isolation.

Egypt became the first country in Africa to confirm a COVID-19 case through a follow-up programme implemented by the government for travellers arriving from countries where the virus has spread.

The ministry statement said the person was hospitalised and in isolation. It did not specify the person’s nationality or their point of entry.

The development made Egypt the first country in the African continent to report a confirmed case, and the second in the Middle East region, after the United Arab Emirates late last month diagnosed its first cases.