President Uhuru Kenyatta convened a gathering of the National Security Council after information surfaced that the first case of Coronavirus (COVID19) had been confirmed in the country.
A statement released by State House on Friday, January 13, indicated that an emergency session of the National Security Council met and received a report from the National Emergency Response Committee on COVID19.
The committee then came upon the resolution to ensure that the national security infrastructure is mobilized to back the National Emergency Response Committee on all the precautionary measures it announced that morning.
One of the resolutions was that all non-essential travel outside the country was suspended until further notice for all state and public officers to destinations outside the country, whether on public or private business.
The committee directed that such engagements were to be left to ambassadors and high commissioners abroad who would represent the country in international engagements within their jurisdictions.
The statement further directed that all state and public officers in need of diplomatic representation at any such event should communicate in writing to Foreign Affairs CS Raychelle Omamo to facilitate appropriate coordination.
The council also resolved that additional medical personnel be recruited and retained on an emergency basic contract to support the precautionary management measures and enhance surveillance to check any possible spread of the coronavirus in the country.
It also directed that all national government administration officers in the country be tasked immediately to ensure that all the measures announced by the committee are put in place.
Some of these measures include continued public awareness on the role of hygiene in the prevention of the spread of coronavirus, and discouragement of mass gatherings and meetings and continued monitoring and surveillance.
The council further urged Kenyans to go about their daily activities as usual and to continue taking necessary precautions as advised by the Ministry of Health.
"The government will do everything possible to ensure an effective response to the now-global challenge of COVID19 and would like to encourage Kenyans to remain calm and continue with their regular day-to-day activities.
"We also urge Kenyans to remain vigilant, keep good hygiene, observe self-quarantine where necessary under the law and observe the precautionary measures announced by the World Health Organization and the National Emergency Response Committee on COVID19," the statement concluded.
Some of the precautionary measures as announced by Health CS Mutahi Kagwe calls for a person with a cough or sneeze to stay home and maintain good respiratory hygiene by covering their mouth when coughing or sneezing.
Kagwe also called upon all Kenyans to be cautious and work towards a collective responsibility to ensure that the situation is arrested soonest possible.
"This is that time when we are calling for serious citizen responsibility. This is not a situation where we depend on the government. It is time we take responsibility as a nation," Kagwe rallied.
