April 15, 2020. Photo by KNA..
Quarantine facilities set up across the country have helped curb the spread of Covid-19 with majority of the reported positive cases coming from the centres, the Government Spokesman, Col (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna has said.
Col. Oguna said that between 70 and 80 per cent of those who have tested positive to Coronavirus are from the quarantine facilities and called on Kenyans to appreciate the facilities.
He was addressing the media at the Siaya County Referral Hospital on Wednesday after leading a team of national government officials, who included the Ag. Director General of Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth on a tour of the county.
“Imagine what would happen if such cases were left to mingle with the rest of the community,” posed the government spokesman who added that quarantine facilities have added value to the war against the spread of the coronavirus that is ravaging the globe.
Oguna said that the government was in the process of producing masks enmasse to bring down the cost of the commodity that is now a requirement for anybody venturing out in public places.
The spokesman said that the government was committed to ensuring that health workers were well motivated and had a conducive working environment to enable them handle the emerging health challenges.
“The government is looking at the issue of the welfare of the health workers holistically” he said adding that issues such as capacity building and provision of the working tools and protective gear were being given priority.
Addressing the occasion, Dr. Amoth said the government was seeking approval from the World Health Organisation to deploy a new testing technology that will enable it test up to 3,000 samples within 24 hours.
Dr. Amoth said that the technology was better than the current one in use as the patients will be able to get their results within one to two hours.
“The current technology in use takes up to six hours for results to be out,” he said.
The medic said the government will not compromise on the requirement for quarantine amongst those who come into contact with coronavirus positive individuals, adding that those who violate the rules within quarantine facilities will have to be detained for longer periods.
“We will not hesitate to extend the number of days. If you do not want to comply, we will force you to,” he said and called on those under quarantine to ensure they operate within the set regulations.
Dr. Amoth called on Kenyans to support the government in the war against the spread of the virus.
During the occasion, the national team donated personal protective equipment that included overalls, gloves, goggles, masks, hand held thermos-guns and sanitisers to the Siaya County government.
Dr. Amoth said that most of the equipment would be channeled for use at the quarantine and isolation facilities at the Kenya Medical Training College campuses in Siaya and Bondo respectively.
Siaya has so far recorded two cases of Coronavirus, one of who died and was recently buried while the other is under isolation while 64 people who were in contact with the confirmed cases are in quarantine.
Other officials present at the occasion included the County Commissioner, Michael ole Tialal, the Deputy governor, Dr. James Okumbe and the County Executive Committee member for Health, Dorothy Owino among others.
By Philip Onyango
