Laikipia County government has ordered for mandatory screening of body temperature of all travelers into the county.
Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said the move was a precautionary measure aimed at ensuring that no cases of the deadly Coronavirus were brought into the county.
Speaking on Wednesday at his Nanyuki office after holding a closed-door meeting with the County security team on Coronavirus preparedness, Governor Muriithi said that passengers would be screened at all the eight entry points of the county to ensure that anybody who might display any signs or symptoms of Covid-19 is immediately isolated.
“We have commenced mandatory screening of all travelers into Laikipia at all the entry points that will be overseen by the Kenya police at roadblocks and our health personnel will be on standby to check on Coronavirus symptoms such as high temperatures,” Governor Muriithi said.
Laikipia borders Nyeri, Nyandarua, Nakuru, Baringo, Isiolo, Samburu and Meru counties.
He added that the police officers will stop and direct all passengers to walk out in an organised manner where they are screened for high temperatures by the health personnel using infrared thermometers.
“The basic point is to check for temperature and those with unusually high become an immediate case for attention to see what is causing the high temperature,” he added.
The governor revealed that four people who had recently travelled into the county from oversees had been asked to self-quarantine and therefore his administration was taking no chances in ensuring that there was no spread of the disease that has so far killed over 20,000 victims globally.
He added that the county had set aside quarantine wards for forceful isolation of people who fail to self-quarantine and had travelled abroad who had interacted with persons suspected to carry the virus.
The governor asked all motorists, riders and passengers to cooperate and maintain the social distance of at least one metre while being screened.
By Martin Munyi
