The proprietor of the Nyeri bar whose two workers tested positive for Covid-19 virus was yesterday picked from his home by the County surveillance team after bleaching self-quarantine instructions.
The Spinners Web Bar and Restaurant in Nyeri Town owner, James Mwaura was taken to the county’s main quarantine center at Wambugu Agricultural Training Centre for failing to self quarantine for four days as instructed to await results of his Corona virus tests.
Mwaura’s test samples were taken on Saturday and were expected to be ready today.
On May 28, Nyeri joined the list of affected counties after recording two cases of women aged 42 and 44 who happened to be bartenders at Mwaura’s bar.
The two who are currently admitted at Mt. Kenya Hospital isolation ward reported no history of travel outside Nyeri. Their three children are also admitted at Wambugu Agricultural Training quarantine center.
The bar owner briefing the press before being escorted for quarantine said his bar has remained closed since March 15 following the presidential directive ordering closure of all bars and eateries.
He said following a later directive allowing bars to open subject to testing of workers and meeting all other Covid-19 regulations, he went ahead and carried out a test for his six workers on May 26 at the Pathologist Lancet Kenya laboratory in Nanyuki at a cost of Sh. 46,000.
Mwaura said two days later he received two contradicting reports in a span of five hours with the first indicating that all the six were negative and the second one indicating that two were positive.
Following the report, the operator who accused the government of harassment and intimidation said the government went ahead and booked the two at the isolation ward and started tracing and rounding up their contacts without carrying out their own tests.
“The government has continued tracing the contacts of the two and quarantining them despite there being two contradicting reports,” lamented the businessman.
“My question is, out of the two results, which did the government rely on to isolate the two,” Mwaura complained.
He complained that his test results were due today, June 1, yet public health officers picked him up before knowing his status.
“They should have at least waited for my results to be released. I have no problem going to a quarantine or even isolation ward if I test positive,” the operator said.
The County Public Health Officer, Robert Kathuri said they were just following directives from the county department of health.
He said the two in isolation who are said to be asymptomatic are yet to undergo another test.The officer said they have so far traced their 13 contacts, including the bar owner.
By Samuel Waititu
