Kirinyaga County has recorded the first Corona case in a long distance driver who travelled from Juba, South Sudan to a flour factory in Kutus town.
The driver was reported to have brought a consignment of maize in a trailer from Southern Sudan via Uganda, Malava, Busia and into Kirinyaga, Kutus.
Reports from the Medical personnel from Kerugoya Hospital show that the driver had been tested along the route but the results had not been released.
A Clinical Officer, Peter Irungu in charge of Covid-19 monitoring in Kirinyaga East Sub County said he received a call from Afya house that the Covid-19 test for driver of the said trailer had turned out positive.
He said the victim was intercepted on arrival at Kutus and it was established that he left Juba in Southern Sudan on 17th May.
He said the victim has since been isolated for treatment at Kerugoya County hospital while all the people who are suspected to have come in contact with the victim are being traced to be quarantined.
The driver is said to have fallen ill, probable from shock, on receiving the news that he was Covid-19 positive.
Upon learning of the development, the entire surveillance team rushed to the factory and condoned off the facility.
A young man the driver had offered a lift from Nakuru was also traced and though not showing any signs was taken into an isolation ward at the same hospital in Kerugoya for observation.
Factory staff that had interacted with the victim for a while were all listed down and ordered to proceed on compulsory quarantine for 14 days.
Following the development, the busy and modern factory has since been closed down to enable the area public health officers to fumigate the facility.
Anxiety has since gripped the densely populated Kutus town where the factory is located with residents urging the government to tighten the nuts and lock out those coming in from other countries.
By Irungu Mwangi
