8 Recover as Kenya's Covid-19 Cases Rise to 363 [VIDEO]

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe (Left) and his Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi during a press briefing in March 2020.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe (Left) and his Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi during a press briefing in March 2020.
File

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Monday, April 27 announced that 8 new cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 363.

Four of the new cases are from Nairobi with four from Mombasa. Eight recoveries were also confirmed, bringing the total number of full recoveries to 114.

All of the eight new cases are Kenyans, indicating that local transmission had taken root in the country. Kagwe further observed that they were particularly concerned over the surge in confirmed cases in Mombasa County.

He also addressed President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive on re-opening of restaurants on condition that they comply with public health and social distancing regulations.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe (front) with Ministry of Health director-general Dr. Patrick Amoth at a press briefing on April 2, 2020.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe (front) with Ministry of Health director-general Dr. Patrick Amoth at a press briefing on April 2, 2020.
Citizen Digital

It had been revealed that the National Emergency Response Committee was developing guidelines that would have to be adhered to by the restaurants.

The CS disclosed that among the guidelines would be limits on the maximum number of people allowed in the restaurants to ensure compliance with physical distancing.

"Some of the things that we will expect is that a restaurant will operate between 5 a.m and 4 p.m, not later than that because it allows people to get home...We also have asked that those restaurants that are going to open for this purpose must limit the number of persons in the restaurants to keep social distancing.

"They can be able to have a maximum of four people for at least 10 square metres. The tables in the dining areas must be spaced at least 1.5 metres away from each other and customers sitting must also maintain the social distancing," he asserted.

He further disclosed that staff members at restaurants would have to be tested before the establishments are allowed to re-open.

"This is not a licence to start opening bars and alcohol sale across the country. Anybody walking into a restaurant should walk in with a mask, sanitize theirs hands and if your staff have not been tested you cannot open a restaurant," he stated.

Kagwe gave the briefing following a ceremony to inaugurate the advisory committee on supply and utilization of blood and blood products.

He noted that the committee was tasked with establishing systems to ensure effective management of blood in the country.

"We are going to centralize all blood activities into one, and there will be no blood activities going on without the auspices of this framework.

"Anything going on currently must now be brought in into the institutional framework that we have built," he explained

He noted that the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service Bill had gone through the first reading in parliament, urging members of the public to submit their views on the same.

Among his recommendations was for the country to incentivize blood donations and to create systems to monitor blood supply levels in addition to managing the country's blood storage, supply and distribution.

Watch part of Kagwe's briefing below:

 

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