Kibera Among Areas Targeted for Covid-19 Mass Testing

Former Health Ministry Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi addressing the media in April 2020.
Former Health Ministry Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi addressing the media in April 2020.
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Mercy Mwangangi

Health CAS Mercy Mwagangi on Tuesday, April 14, stated that the government was on the verge of rolling out mass testing of Kenyans to help curb the spread Covid-19 in the country, with Kibera Slums being a key area of focus in Nairobi County. 

Speaking during the daily Covid-19 press briefing at Afya House, Nairobi Mwangangi stated that quarantine centres, hotel facilities and hospitals would be the first areas consideration owing to the number of positive cases registed in those areas.

“We are rolling out mass testing taking into consideration the risk profile of mass clusters. In total, the first phase of mass testing will see approximately 12,000 testing kits deployed to target areas in the next few days,” she stated.

A medical personnel holding a Covid-19 virus test kit.
File image of a Covid-19 testing kit.
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In Nairobi, Kibera area was identified as a priority testing cluster while in Mombasa 1,000 testing kits will be deployed to the Kenya Ports Authority based on the risk of transmission identified by the monitoring team after two employees succumbed to Covid-19.

Other counties targeted in the first phase of the mass testing include Siaya and Mandera. In Mandera, there were reports of individuals escaping a quarantine facility after allegedly colluding with police officers.

Mwangangi also added that of the eight new cases of covid-19 victims announced on Tuesday, April 14, six were from isolation facilities and two picked by surveillance teams.

Nairobi had six victims with Siaya and Nakuru Counties having one victim each, and contrary to fears that the country could record more deaths from the disease, only nine individuals have lost their lives since the first case of covid-19 was announced, with no new death registered on Tuesday.

“Let us keep engaging each other through the available platforms. Let us counsel each other and be our brother’s keepers, dear Kenyans. Stand together with us, your families, partners and the community,” urged the CAS.

Of concern was how the virus had spread in counties as a result of human migration from epicentres to the countryside. The ministry advised Kenyans to cease unnecessary movement in order to avert more drastic measures that could to be taken by the government if the spread of the virus continued.

Suleiman Shabhal and Hassan Joho inspecting the newly installed public spray booth at the Likoni Crossing Channel in Mombasa.
Suleiman Shabhal and Hassan Joho inspecting the newly installed public spray booth at the Likoni Crossing Channel in Mombasa. April 6, 2020
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