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Bernard Gitau @benagitau and KNA

Nairobi County government has started erecting mass sanitiser spraying booths in the city in efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus. 

The first booth was erected at Kencom bus terminus yesterday to disinfect commuters boarding buses at the area. 

Governor Mike Sonko said similar booths would be put up at all bus termini given that Nairobi remains the epicentre of Covid-19 in the country.

“Not a single estate in Nairobi has remained free of the virus. The capital accounts for close to 80 per cent of all cases reported in the country,” he said and urged Nairobians to stay home.

The spray booths can accommodate at least three people at time, disinfecting the whole body as one passes through to board the bus. Sonko assured residents the chemicals used were safe and approved by county public health officials.

Ministry of Health data indicates that Nairobi leads in the number of coronavirus cases with close to 200 infections out of the total 270 cases reported countrywide. 

Wash hands

Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Saturday said the cases were spread among all city estates. Kilimani leads with six cases, Pipeline five,  Karen, South C and Utawala tie at  four cases each, followed by Kawangware with three. Tassia, Kitisuru, Parklands, Buru Buru and Kibra tie at two cases each.

Kagwe said almost all city estates had reported at least one case. These include Donholm, Eastleigh, Hurlingham, Lavington, Runda, Ngara, Madaraka, Kasarani, among others.

“I want to plead with all of us to take the measures we have announced more seriously,” he said.

Residents will also continue to wash hands at the various spots installed by the  county in partnership with the national government.

 The county has also continues to undertake massive fumigation in various parts of the city.

 “As the Ministry of Health indicated, we must prepare ourselves for the challenging days ahead, and one way is to keep our city clean and disinfected, especially public spaces,” said Sonko.

 The exercise will continue until the country flattens the Covid-19 curve. 

Meanwhile, Marsabit county government has set aside Sh240 million to fight coronavirus pandemic. 

 Governor Mohamud Ali said of the cash, Sh60 million would be used to procure drugs and equip health facilities as well as provide medical personnel with the necessary personal protective gear. 

The county plans to buy portable oxygen and cylinders, vaccine carriers, ventilators and thermos guns and establish an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU).

“These steps would enable Marsabit County Referral Hospital to cope with any situation that might ensue,” the governor said at the weekend when he led the county Covid-19 emergency response coordination committee in receiving an assortment of donations from various stakeholders.