No Coronavirus case today, Curfew still on- Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, IG Hillary Mutyambai
The daily update on Coronavirus by CS Health Mutahi Kagwe and the Inspector General of Police Hillary N Mutyambai today 27th March 2020 was held at Afya House .
CS Mutahi Kagwe: Last night, we lost one of our patients to Covid-19. The 66-year-old Kenyan male was also fighting another medical condition. I take this opportunity to convey heartfelt condolences to his family.
The Health CS said that the Nakuru case is not related to Coronavirus.CS Mutahi Kagwe:” We have been informed that a South African national in quarantine in Nakuru has passed away in circumstances that do not seem related to the disease. This is now a police investigation & further info will be communicated. We have informed the South Africa embassy.”
Two patients with COVID-19 are admitted At Aga Khan Hospital ICU. They are both male patients, one a French National the other a Kenyan who we are closely monitoring them.
Nairobi leads in number of infections at 21 cases.
CS Mutahi Kagwe: In the last 24 hours we have tested 156 samples which have tested negative. 31 confirmed cases are in: Nairobi- 21, Kajiado-1 , Mombasa- 2 , Kilifi- 6, Kwale-1
Out of 31 cases: 19 male,12 female
We have identified 1067 close contacts. 136 have been discharged.
“The curfew was necessitated because it has been difficult to maintain social distancing…Where we have asked people to self-quarantine and practice social distancing, they do not do so…The case in Malindi has attracted 122 close contacts. The case in Siaya attracted 138 contacts..” Health CS Mutahi Kagwe
The Inspector General of Police Hillary N Mutyambai has affirmed that “The curfew applies to the whole republic from 7pm to 5am from today until further notice and prohibits public gathering and movement.”
The Health CS Mutahi Kagwe urges Kenyans to stay calm , pray and obey the law and cooperate with the police.
Essential services such as supermarkets, pharmaceutical services and public health services are exempted from the 7-5am curfew.
Kenyans are asked to utilize 719 for help.
IG Mutyambai: The curfew applies to the entire territory of the Republic of Kenya starting today from 7pm-5am until further notice. It prohibits public gatherings and processions during the curfew. Only 20 essential services outlined in the gazette notice will be exempt.
IG Mutyambai: I assure Kenyans that once you stay at home, you will not be arrested. Police will be working in a multi-agency team.
If you are a night-shift worker, report to your workplace before 7PM and leave your workplace after 5AM. – IG Hillary Mutyambai.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE UPDATE OF CORONAVIRUS IN THE COUNTRY AND RESPONSE MEASURES AS AT 27th MARCH 2020
“Fellow Kenyans,
Welcome to the daily updates on the current status of Coronavirus disease outbreak in Kenya.
As you may be aware, last night we lost one of our patients to the Coronavirus related disease at Aga Khan hospital in Nairobi. The patient had another medical condition that he was being treated for. The 66 year old male Kenyan, had been admitted at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and had arrived in the country on March 13th, 2020, from South Africa via the Kingdom of eSwatini.
On behalf of the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus (NERC) and the Ministry of Health I would like to pass our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased.
We have also been informed that a South African national on quarantine in Nakuru has also passed away in circumstances that do not seem related to the disease.
This is a police investigation and further information will be communicated upon its completion. We have informed the South African embassy about the incident through our Foreign Affairs Ministry.
On behalf of the National Emergency Response Committee and the Ministry of Health I would like to convey our Condolences to her family through South African Embassy.
I would also like to inform you that, there are two more patients among the 31 who tested positive for Coronavirus, currently admitted in the Intensive Care Unit at Aga Khan Hospital. The two are both male, one a French National and the other a Kenyan Citizen. Together with the medical team at the hospital, we are closely monitoring their treatment.
In the last twenty four hours, a total of one hundred and fifty six (156) samples from suspected cases of Coronavirus have been tested in various laboratories.
Fellow Kenyans, all the 156 samples have tested Negative for Coronavirus Disease. Therefore the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kenya remains thirty one (31).
As I mentioned yesterday, these 31 confirmed cases are spread out in five (5) counties namely, Nairobi, Kajiado, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale.
In the five Counties Nairobi is leading with 21 cases of those who have so far tested positive, followed by Kilifi with six, Mombasa with two while Kajiado and Kwale each have one. Out of the 31 positive cases, 19 are male while 12 are female.
Tracing of contacts for the 31 confirmed cases is ongoing. The total number of close contacts that we have so far been monitoring stands at 1067. Out of this number, 136 have been discharged after completing the mandatory 14 day follow up period. Currently our teams are monitoring 931 close contacts. We have Five individuals admitted at Mbagathi Hospital awaiting test results.
To date we have tested 752 persons for the Coronavirus disease.
From this Sunday March 29, 2020, we shall embark on mass testing for more than 2000 persons, who arrived in the country from last Sunday March 22, 2020, and are currently under mandatory quarantine in various designated hotels and government facilities. This will be done in line with WHO guidelines on testing for the virus, and in accordance with one’s arrival date.
This exercise will also be extended to all close contacts of confirmed cases, who have been monitored for at least five days by our contact follow-up teams.
As earlier announced by His Excellency the President, from this evening at 7pm to 5am in the morning, there will be a curfew countrywide. The curfew continues every evening until further notice. The Inspector General of Police here present will give details on the operations of the same.
The curfew has been necessitated by the fact that it has been very difficult to maintain Social Distancing. A lot of our people who have been infected is as a result of social interactions.
Secondly, even where we have asked people to self-quarantine for the mandatory 14 days, we have observed the habit of social distance during the day and flouting it at night. This is unacceptable!
Therefore, the Social distance rule that we have over and over been repeating to Kenyans to keep, has become a challenge. I truly want to plead with Kenyans to understand that, social distancing which has been greatly abused, is the surest way of cutting the rate of community transmission of this virus.
Once again, I reiterate the need to be disciplined among our people to cut off more transmissions, as evidenced by our recent statistics. People must take seriously and observe the Nyumba kumi initiative, by ensuring the precautionary measures we have announced are strictly adhered to. If we do so and observe these measures we may just overcome this disease before it gets worse.
We appeal to our fellow Kenyans to exercise responsibility and cooperate with the Government, on this and other measures that we have already announced.
I thank you all.”
Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, EGH,
CABINET SECRETARY