Outcomes of Uhuru's Crisis Meeting as Covid-19 Cases Shoot

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses the nation from State House on March 12, 2021
President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses the nation from State House on March 12, 2021
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State House spokesperson Kanze Dena issued an update on a crisis meeting President Uhuru Kenyatta held with the country’s political party leaders on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. 

The meeting featured the leadership of Jubilee Party, ODM, ANC, KANU, Ford-Kenya, NARC, and the Wiper Democratic Movement.

The meeting was convened as a follow-up to the one held on February 25, 2021, to review the surge of Covid-19 infections across the country, with the Ministry of Health announcing 1,064 new cases.

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Political party leaders at State House on February 25, 2021
President Uhuru Kenyatta with political party leaders at State House on February 25, 2021
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"The meeting considered the evolution of Covid-19 disease within our borders and noted with concern that Covid-19 infections were increasing at an alarming rate," read the statement from State House.

The leaders also noted that hospital beds especially ICU beds were filling up in both public and private hospitals.

Kenyans were urged to remain on high alert, to exercise extreme caution and be aware of the Covid-19 reality and to do their utmost to observe all safety protocols.

The party leaders supported the ongoing national vaccination programme which is being undertaken in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health and urged all political players to take the lead in the observation of Covid-19 protocols.

In light of the above President Kenyatta urged all political affiliates and supporters, especially in Machakos, to find a peaceful, amicable and uniting way forward during the upcoming by-elections.

Conspicuously missing from the meeting, however, was Deputy President William Ruto and the leadership of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Health CS Mutahi has in the recent past confirmed that the country was witnessing the third phase of the pandemic.

The Ministry of Health has also announced the presence of the mutated version of the virus in the country.

Kenya medical practitioners have raised concerns over new symptoms seen in Covid-19 patients.

According to the Chief Medical Officer of Nairobi West Hospital Dr. Andrew Gachie, patients with the new symptoms end up at the Intensive Care Unit as soon they are admitted at the facility. 

Reports from the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) also indicate that patients are showing symptoms that differ from the ones that the World Health Organization (WHO) had earlier advised doctors to look out for when diagnosing patients for Covid-19. 

“Some rare symptoms we have seen are for example diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, and occasionally a rash. We haven’t seen discolouration too commonly but it might be because of the affecting of the vessels by Covid-19 which forms clots,” said Dr. Loise Ombajo, Infectious Disease Specialist at KNH.

Stock image of the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Stock image of the Kenyatta National Hospital.
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