The Nairobi City County government has screened more than 12,000 individuals in the battle against the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) as the number of people who have tested positive in Kenya rose to 15.

The testing, which was launched last week together with fumigation across the city, has seen 12,590 individuals screened, among them 5,100 adults, 5, 515 children and 3,477 youth with only two individuals having “elevated temperatures”.

FUMIGATION

Last week, the county government embarked on the fumigation of open places as part of measures to curb the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus which has killed at least 14,000 people globally.

Tracking the coronavirus

The county fumigated General Post Office (GPO), public resting areas around the Hilton Hotel, Kencom bus stage, Aga Khan Walk and the expansive Gikomba market.

Other places included Khoja Stage, City Market, National Archives, Jeevanjee Gardens, Hakati Road, Tom Mboya Street, Muthurwa Market, Ronald Ngala Street and Mfangano Lane.

MATATU TERMINUSES

Nairobi County Health Executive Hitan Majevdia said that the focus this week will be on the city’s main bus station as well as the Railways matatu and train terminuses where screening and fumigation will be carried out for the next four days up to Friday March 27, 2020.

“The screening and fumigation exercise continues. We will focus all our efforts on the two matatu termini for the rest of the week as we join the rest of the country in the battle to minimise the spread of the coronavirus which has seen 15 people test positive,” said Mr Majevdia.

He said 215 county health officers are involved in the fumigation which targets public resting furniture, bus stops, markets and other areas with large social gatherings.

AMBULANCES READY

As part of response measures, Mr Majevdia added that the county has made available 13 ambulances for use to transport any suspected case to the quarantine centre at Mbagathi Hospital.

Seven of the ambulances are at Kibera South Health Centre, Mathare Hospital, Mukuru Health Centre, Mutuini Hospital, Pumwani Hospital, Kahawa West and Dandora 2 Health Centre.

He explained that a rapid response team has been put in place to actively coordinate response to the coronavirus pandemic.

This is in addition to training 675 healthcare workers from 200 health facilities, both public and private. He said the plan it to have 3,000 healthcare workers trained.

“We have also trained 1,250 community health volunteers and an additional 1,250 others will be trained and activated to carry out community sensitisation in line with the Presidential decree and the Ministry of Health guidance,” he said.

HEALTH WORKERS TRAINED

The Health CEC further said they have also trained all county and sub-county health managers who are currently rolling out and supervising health facilities as well as offering community-level training.

“We have also recalled all healthcare workers, even those on leave, to immediately report to their duty stations as we respond to the coronavirus pandemic,” he said.

To help the health workers in their course of duty, Mr Majevdia said they have received personal protective equipment and other items from the Ministry of Health which we have distributed to county hospitals.

He revealed that the county government has also initiated the procurement of additional equipment and other items which will be distributed immediately they arrive.