We’re not yet Corona-free, states Kagwe
George Kebaso @Morarak
Kenya has not reached a level where it can declare itself free of Coronavirus, the government has cautioned.
On Wednesday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warned against a general feeling among Kenyans that the country is safe from the virus that has claimed 1, 739 lives so far.
Kagwe maintained health restrictions will remain in place until advised otherwise.
Consequently, he said there are no intentions of relaxing the Covid-19 restrictions - such as the night curfew - that are in place despite a general feeling that the country is winning against the virus.
He cautioned Kenyans against dropping guard on the measures taken to curb spread of Covid-19, highlighting the recent re-opening of schools as a sensitive event, which requires the highest level of obedience to the restrictions.
He said the reduction of Covid-19 infections has cumulatively succeeded due to the measures that have been in place.
“Under normal circumstances, and according to the World Health Organisation standards, when you have tested below five per cent for the kind of period we have, normally you would consider yourself to have flattened the curve,” he said.
“However, we have maintained highest surveillance that would be normal because some of the measures we have taken such as reopening of schools are very heavy events, and we don’t want to declare ourselves of having flattened the curve, and then immediately we start going backwards,” the added when he led UK Secretary of State, Dominic Raab on a tour of Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi.
He said it is the responsibility of every Kenyan to be on guard against the virus as they also keep observance of what’s happening across the globe; what’s happening in the region before the country declares itself as having come out of the pandemic.
“You must be aware of your region and what’s going on and the possibility that what’s happening out there can also happen to yourselves,” he said as four people were reported to have been seriously injured in a confrontation with police in Mbita, Homabay County over abuse of Covid-19 measures crackdown.
The four sustained serious injuries as the residents battled with the police during a crackdown to arrest those who were not wearing masks in compliance with the Ministry of Health protocols.
