At least 2,500 passengers and drivers plying the Nairobi-Naivasha and Nakuru-Eldoret highway have been screened for COVID-19 in an exercise aimed at containing spread of the deadly virus.
For the past one week, Medical personnel from Nakuru County have been stopping vehicles heading for different destinations along the two key highways and carrying out the tests from early morning.
County Governor Lee Kinyanjui said he was in talks with his counterparts from Rift Valley and Western to conduct similar screening exercises along major highways to stop possible spillover of the disease to other parts of the country.
County Executive Committee Member for Health Dr Zachary Gichuki Kariuki said the screening exercise will continue on the major highways within the county until the spread of Covid-19 is brought under control.
Dr Kariuki said the exercise was in line with the mass testing initiated by the Ministry of Health.
“It is purely a precautionary measure as the country steps up measures to fight the pandemic,” he said.
The number of confirmed corona virus cases in the country currently stands at 81, with efforts being made to slow the spread of the virus.
Dr Kariuki said anyone who shows signs of the virus will be put in isolation.
“During the random screening, passengers and drivers were also trained by officers from the County Department of Health on measures to prevent the spread of the virus. None of those screened had high temperature or symptoms to warrant further tests,” said the CEC.
Meanwhile Nakuru County has received 55 plastic water tanks from the Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency (CRVWWDA) to boost the war against Corona virus (COVID 19).
The water tanks with a capacity of 1,500 litres were handed to the water utilities who will then distribute them to several parts of the County.
Receiving the donation on behalf of Governor Kinyanjui County Executive Committee Member for Water, Environment and Natural Resources Engineer Festus Ng’eno, said hand washing should be taken seriously and urged Nakuru residents to make good use of the hand washing facilities.
He added that the County Government through the water utilities will ensure all public spaces have access to clean water and enough soap.
The tanks will be placed in densely populated areas like Markets, Jua Kali sections, informal settlements, prison facilities, bus stages, outside health facilities and shops.
By Jane Ngugi
Passengers Screened for Covid 19 on Highways
