Govt Speaks on Suspected Kakamega Coronavirus Chinese Patients

Kakamega County resident breathed a collective sigh of relief after Chinese workers at a camp in Bukhaywa, Malava test negative for the dreaded coronavirus, following a county-wide scare.

The county government announced that the suspected patients all tested negative, going on to urge the residents that the situation was under control.

On the same day, a student from China suspected to have contracted the deadly coronavirus has been quarantined at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi.

The hospital’s Communication Manager Hezekiel Gikambi confirmed that the patient arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from Guangzhou on Tuesday, January 28, after which he was rushed to the facility.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

A statement by Kenya Airways revealed that the decision to quarantine the passenger was reached by the Kenya Government port health authorities stationed at the airport.

 

Reports indicated that the passenger had been cleared to travel by the China Port health authorities at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport after quarantine screening by the health authorities.

 

The report comes barely hours after the Chinese embassy in Kenya assured the country that the situation was under control.

 

It is also reported that workers of Karimenu in Gatundu fear that three Chinese nationals who landed in the country on Sunday, January 26, could also have contracted the virus.

 

The three were expected to resume work at the construction site but were quarantined after they were suspected to have contracted the virus.

 

"The residents are worried because the three individuals were suspected to be infected by the disease. They do not know if the disease is going to spread around. The workers had been given gas masks and other protective gear to protect them from being infected," a local stated.

 

The World Health Organisation, on its Twitter page, reported that various stakeholders had prepared adequately in case there was a transmission of the disease in the Country.

 

"Screening of incoming passengers in place, KNH & KEMRI on standby, personal protection kits available. Add. contingency plans in process," read their tweet in part. 

 

The World Health Organisation reports that Coronavirus is spread from an infected person to another through the air by coughing and sneezing. It is also spread through close personal contact such as touching or shaking hands, touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.

 

Though there are currently no vaccines available to protect against the virus, transmission can be reduced through; washing your hands often with soap and water, avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands and avoiding close contact with a sick person.

 

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