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Noah Cheploen @cheploennoah

The government has launched investigations into claims that about 50 people escaped from the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) quarantine centre in Nairobi even as the number of Coronavirus cases rose to 296 after 15 more people tested positive yesterday.

Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr Mercy Mwangangi told journalists during yesterday’s daily briefing that they were aware of the matter, and the Ministry of Interior had taken it up.

“We have received reports from KMTC and we have seen news circulating in the social media and we have activated channels through the Ministry of Interior that are following up this matter… we will be able to update you once all information is collected…” she said.

The CAS urged Kenyans to take seriously the curfew regulations, saying it was not meant to punish them but to contain the disease and protect their lives. 

Addressing the press on a day when shortage of testing kits and its components started showing after the number of those tested in 24 hours dropped from about 1,300 to 545, Mwangangi expressed confidence that the issue will be resolved soon.

Expand capacity

“… We are facing a challenge with regards to some of the sample kits such as nasopharyngeal swabs and that is why you’re seeing our numbers in terms of samples tested reducing…” she said. 

On Monday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the government had expanded its testing capacity to cover all the 47 counties in a bid to reach more people.

“In the last 24 hrs we have tested 545 samples out of which 15 persons have tested positive for coronavirus…11 are Kenyans are while four are foreigners,” said Mwangangi, adding that out of the 15, seven are from Mombasa, while Nairobi and Mandera have six and two, respectively.

And in what could provide a ray of hope in the fight against Covid-19, five more patients were discharged from hospital, bringing the total number of recoveries to 74.

Among them are two patients who were admitted to Nakuru’s Level 5 Hospital isolation centre. 

“We are happy to announce that two Covid-19 patients in Nakuru county have recovered and have been released from our isolation facility. We thank God that we have no coronavirus case in Nakuru,” Governor Lee Kinyanjui told the press.