Gov’t directs all counties to hire 5,000 skilled health workers within 7 days to combat coronavirus

The Ministry of Health has directed all county governors to hire 5,000 skilled health workers within the next 7 days to help battle the new coronavirus.

All level 4,5 and 6 hospitals have also been directed to hire an additional 1,000 health workers with the rate of infection in the country set to grow worse in the coming weeks.

“We have advertised these jobs, and we urge applicants to complete the process by Wednesday next week,” CS Kagwe said.

At the same time, he asked county governments to ensure that secondary schools with hostels are prepared to take over as isolation facilities should the numbers grow.

In a press conference on Thursday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced that Kenya had recorded 29 additional cases of virus, bringing the tally to 110.

Out of the 29, 28 are Kenyans and one Congolese.

The testing, Citizen Digital understands, is being conducted on 2050 people who are in mandatory quarantine in several isolations facilities.

In the last 24 hours, 662 samples- the highest number tested in the country in a single day- were tested.

“Out of 662 samples, 29 people have tested positive for coronavirus. 28 of them are Kenyans and 1 is Congolese. The total number of those who have tested positive in Kenya is now at 110,” CS Kagwe said.

Kenya has also lost an additional two patients- one in Nairobi and one in Mombasa- to the pandemic bringing the total number of deaths in the country to three.

CS Kagwe also reiterated on the need for Kenyans to follow the set directives with regard to personal hygiene and social distancing.

In the meantime, unnecessary travel upcountry has been discouraged with the ministry saying that only movement of cargo will be allowed.