Kenya confirms 3 new cases of coronavirus, total now at 7

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Wednesday announced that three more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Kenya, thereby bringing the total number of confirmed cases to seven.

CS Kagwe, speaking during a press confence at Afya House, said one of the newly reported cases involves a Burundian national who arrived in the country on Tuesday from Dubai.

The individual was reportedly picked out during routine screening at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and tests carried out National Influenza Centre as well as the Kenya Medical Research Institure (KEMRI) laboratories.

The CS added that the government is presently tracking down any other persons that may have come into contact with the individual.

He also stated that 18 people who are presumptive for the coronavirus are presently admitted at the Mbagathi isolation centre, 7 of whom have since been screened and tested negative and are being discharged.

CS Kagwe said the threat of the coronavirus spreading in the country is being presented by Kenyans who have travelled abroad.

He further urged them to undergo self-quarantine as soon as they return to the country, saying failure to which they risk forceful quarantine and jail terms.

“Effective today, any Kenyan who is travelling from outside the country must sign a legal form at the airport to confirm that they’re going to self-quarantine, which gives us the instrument to jail you if you do not follow the procedure. We will quarantine you forcibly for 14 days and then charge you in a court of law,” he stated.

The CS also revealed that Kenyan doctors as well as their colleagues from at least 20 other countries, including China, on Wednesday morning engaged in a video call where they shared knowledge on how to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is an important step in terms of knowledge sharing and they gave us tremendous amount of knowledge which we believe will go a long way into assisting our people,” he stated.