Six Chinese nationals being quarantined at Mutomo area in Kitui South have tested negative to coronavirus.
Kitui Chief Officer for Health and Sanitation Dr Richard Muthoka confirmed that samples from the six employees of Sinohydro Corporation, a Chinese civil and structural engineering firm constructing the Kibwezi-Mutomo-Kitui road indicate they were free of the deadly virus.
The six were isolated after jetting into the country from China on different dates in February 2020.
Dr Muthoka spoke on Thursday when he visited the road contractor’s Mutomo campsite to see how the isolated Chinese workers were doing.
He, however, maintained that they will only be allowed to interact with members of the public after each of them completes 21 days in isolation.
“Coronavirus incubation period is 14 days according to WHO but there is a presidential directive requiring that everyone getting into the country from China must be quarantined for 21 days as a precautionary measure,” explained the chief officer.
He added that he had dispatched a surveillance team headed by Mutomo Sub-county Medical Officer Paul Kibati to closely and consistently monitor the quarantined Chinese staff until the 21-day isolation period elapses.
He was accompanied by Sinohydro Corporation’s Chief Engineer Zeng Yun who declined to address the press for fear of reprisal from his bosses.
The United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization UNESCO has said more than 290 million children were out of school around the world due to closures in more than 20 countries following the coronavirus outbreak.
By Yobesh Onwong’a
