Some 82 people quarantined at an apartment in Ruaka location of Kiambaa Sub-county of Kiambu County after four people who tested positive for coronavirus were found in their flat had a reason to smile as they all tested negative after the quarantine period of 14 days.
The Kiambaa Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Peter Maina while talking to KNA on Tuesday from his office said the people who had been locked inside Jalde Heights apartment on April 21 following the discovery of the corona patients who were taken to hospital for treatment.
Maina lauded them for their co-operation saying the positive spirit had helped them go through the period without developing any stress or major sickness and that they had been given a clean bill of health last week when they were allowed to resume to their normal activities while those who had visited their friends and relatives were allowed to return to their homes.
He also commended the landlord for assisting the people to access relief and other items which they needed during the quarantine period thus cushioning them from suffering.
During the period, the administration did not allow any visitors to the apartment and nobody was also allowed to visit anybody within the flat until after they completed the mandatory quarantine so as to rule out any possible infection.
Initial investigations after the discovery had revealed that at least five people had come into direct contact with the said corona patients.
The Ruaka quarantine was unique as the subjects were held up in their houses, some with their visitors, therefore making them a bit comfortable as compared to those in other medical facilities where they have to pay some fee to cater for their upkeep during the confinement.
So far, the people who have tested positive for the disease in Kiambu County stand at eight out of the 715 cases countrywide with Nairobi (376 cases) leading the pack with followed by Mombasa (244).
The DCC further appealed to the residents within the sub-county and the larger county to continue being vigilant and report any cases of people with symptoms so that the health team can come in and take over their work of surveillance.
Those who have exhibited symptoms of other diseases other than coronavirus have also been attended to through the government machinery as they continue to check for symptoms of Covid-19.
So far, Kiambu County which is located on the outskirts of Nairobi has put in place adequate measures to deal with the disease should the Nairobi cases filter into the County.
Already, health care workers have been trained and are now ready to handle coronavirus patients.
Additionally, four (4) level V hospitals of Thika, Gatundu, Tigoni and Kiambu have already prepared quarantine wards where patients with the disease will be admitted and attended to.
Following the Ruaka incident, four wards in Kiambaa, namely Muchatha, Gachie, Karuri and Kihara wards were fumigated by the County Government of Kiambu. Also, the Ruaka market was closed down indefinitely and the affected traders impressed upon to obey the directive as the government remained steadfast in the fight against the pandemic.
When the government began confining people in quarantine to curb further spread of the disease, the media reported cases in which some people made daring escape bids of which some aborted. Some of the escapees were rearrested and confined in more secure institutions that they could not repeat the attempt.
The DCC further cautioned the residents against engaging in any criminal activity and blaming corona for their actions. He cited an incident from Kawaida location in Kiambaa sub-county of Kiambu County in which a couple was arrested last week and is being held at Karuri police station after they were suspected to have murdered their one-month-old baby boy.
He told KNA that after the man reported to the police post about “the coronavirus related death,” the rapid response team rushed to the scene and upon examining the body ruled out corona and handed over the case to the DCI for further investigations.
Maina warned the residents that the Government was up to the task and that nobody would commit a crime and get away with it as there were experts who can confirm what ailed anybody before they removed the body from the scene.
Post mortem on the deceased infant is yet to be conducted after which the police are expected to charge the parents accordingly as they were the sole custodians who stayed with the baby until the time of its death.
By Lydia Shiloya
