The Government is working on modalities to have all food handlers tested for Covid 19 before they are certified to serve in restaurants.
Health Chief Administration Secretary Dr. Rashid Aman said plans were underway to avail more testing kits for the exercise to ensure that the reopening rules were complied with to avert spread of the pandemic.
He appealed to hoteliers to be patient until enough kits were procured but encouraged those able to afford alternative testing at private facilities to do so in consultation with the ministry of health officials to get clearance.
Dr Rashid told the daily update on the status of the highly contagious disease that a detailed protocol on these guidelines the hoteliers must adhere to before reopening the premises will be posted in the Ministry of Health website any time soon.
”Restaurants Management must read and understand these guidelines as the reopening is predicated on full compliance”, he said.
Dr. Rashid also informed the nation that ten (10) patients who suffered from coronavirus were discharged on Tuesday bringing to 124 the total number of recoveries.
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He however revealed that an additional eleven new cases out of the 589 samples tested positive to the viral disease bringing to 374 the number of people infected since the outbreak was confirmed in the country.
” Our total number of COVID-19 disease positive cases now stand at 374. In today’s cases, there are two (2) children aged 3 years, and the oldest is 75,”,he said
He added that out of the 11 cases, Seven were from Nairobi while four were detected in Mombasa county.
Of the seven cases from the capital, four were from Kawangware, one each from Eastleigh, Manji Estate and Kaloleni estates in Nairobi while all the Mombasa cases were from Kibokoni (Old Town).
”We have enhanced contact tracing, surveillance and infection control management in Nairobi and Mombasa counties because of increased local transmission in these two counties’, he said
Cumulatively, Dr. Rashid said the age group of 30 to 59 continue to carry the burden of this disease in the population and account for 224 cases (60 percent) of the 374 total cases.
.”When you add to the 99 cases of the age group 15 to 29; that comes to 323 cases from our most active segment. We encourage these groups to rededicate their energies in observing the containment effort:’ ‘ he said.
Yesterday, Government issued initial guidelines for partial reopening of eateries and restaurants in line with the directives issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta
Following the announcement yesterday, there had been a lot of hue ans cry over the measures by restaurant owners and also some Kenyans regarding the matter.
By Wangari Ndirangu
