Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, while addressing the nation outside Afya House, Nairobi, on Saturday, April 4, directed that individuals under mandatory self-quarantine in some facilities extend their self-isolation for14 more days.
This was after a number of them were discovered to have partied nights away, while under quarantine. This means that the individuals would quarantine for 28 days, adding more charges to their bills.
The CS argued that some individuals had violated directives and would place many other Kenyans at risk if they were released.
"We have had cases of people testing positive in our quarantine facilities, indeed, currently, they rank among the highest. This is likely to pose a risk of more transmission especially among those who have been sharing facilities or those who have not taken seriously the distancing requirements," the CS decreed.
"As I said, there are those who went on partying sprees in quarantine facilities. This is against every protocol that we have issued. But in a bid to further contain any further transmission arising from those in mandatory quarantine we have instructed our medical teams to extend quarantine period of those in facilities which we believe have got individuals who need another 14 days given the fact that the contacts they have within the quarantine facilities have tested positive," Kagwe declared.
The CS, who confirmed four more Coronavirus cases in Kenya, raising the tally to 126, stated that the bills would be paid by the individuals themselves.
"Now we appreciate that this is going to be very inconveniencing to quite a number of people and we apologise in advance but to secure Kenyans, it is an activity or a position that we have regrettably had to take," Kagwe informed.
The CS, who was visibly frustrated by the individuals' decision, however, maintained calm and reiterated the importance of self-quarantine.
"What I would like to appeal even for those whose quarantine period has been extended and it is not all, only in those areas where our medical personnel feel it is necessary and discovery of positive cases. Please for those under quarantine, understand that whatever status you have remains yours alone, so you may isolate and maintain social distance," the CS pleaded.
The government on Tuesday, March 24 also shared an official list of hotels in Nairobi and Mombasa which are being used to quarantine visitors coming into the country, in line with directives announced by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
The list was shared hours after reports surfaced of visitors complaining over excessive delays and confusion over the order to quarantine all passengers arriving at airports, including the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Quarantine hotels in Nairobi and Mombasa announced on March 24 include Hill Park Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Nairobi, Safari Park, Pride Inn Hotels, Jacaranda Hotel, Trademark Hotel, Four Points Sheraton, Boma Hotel, KMTC's, Kenyatta University and Kenya School of Government.
Others are Crown Plaza, Mombasa Beach Hotel, La Mada Hotel, Concord Hotel, University of Nairobi, KCB Leadership Centre, Cooperative University, The Clarion Hotel, The Comfort Hotel, Mashpark Hotel, Eka Hotel and Land Mark Suites.
