CS Mutahi Kagwe: My son and niece are in quarantine over coronavirus

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has disclosed that his own son and niece are on mandatory quarantine over the coronavirus.

The CS made the revelation on Saturday to dissuade Kenyans from viewing quarantining as a form of punishment.

“At a personal level I have a son who we have quarantined. I have a niece who is in quarantine. The way we are looking at it is that if a person is in quarantine, they are protecting themselves and also protecting you,” said Kagwe, without revealing much details.

He reiterated that mandatory quarantine is not forced isolation, highlighting that it is a precautionary measure and should be viewed positively.

“Mandatory quarantine is not forced quarantine… What we expect when you are in mandatory quarantine is cooperation with the medical staff and security staff. Understand that you are not quarantined because you have committed an offence.

“You should be very happy to be in quarantine because it means you cannot pass on the disease if you have it,” he said.

Individuals who have been put on quarantine are those who returned to the country from coronavirus-hit areas or have come into close contact with anyone exposed to the virus.

Anyone who also flew into the country between Monday, March 23 and Wednesday, March 25 is also on quarantine in line with a government order.

During quarantine over the coronavirus, one is expected to self isolate themselves for a period of 14 days, afterwhich symptoms of the disease — in case of infection — will begin to show.