Kwale County Emergency Response Committee on Covid-19 today held a meeting at the county headquarters to deliberate on possible measures to be taken to stop the spread of the virus.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Governor Salim Mvurya who is the committee chair urged Kwale residents to strictly observe all protocol by the Ministry of Health in fighting the pandemic.
Governor Mvurya said that there are no reported cases of infection for now, though Kwale county registered 555 positive cases since the first case was reported in Kenya last year.
He said that the county reported 8 death cases of which 5 were Kwale residents and 3 were Kenyans from outside the county.
The Governor also noted that his government through the department of health is conducting county-wide sensitization campaigns on ways to fight and also stop the spread of coronavirus.
“Kwale being a border county is at high risk of reporting covid-19 infection cases especially at this time when cases of infection have been reported to be on the rise in the neighboring country-Tanzania,” he said.
The county boss stated that last month alone, 183 people traveling to Kenya from Tanzania were tested at the Lunga Lunga border area out of which 13 cases turned positive.
On the issue of testing covid-19 cases, the Governor said that Kwale county is still relying on KEMRI laboratories in Kilifi where tests are done once every week hence creating a backlog and delay.
“We are however optimistic that by mid this month we shall begin testing covid-19 samples here in Kwale,” he assured.
At the same time the Governor urged headteachers and principals in Kwale county to work closely with school management committees and students in efforts to fight the spread of the virus.
Speaking at the same occasion, Kwale County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri said that cases of covid-19 infections are still rampant in Kenya, hence people should adhere to the Ministry of Health guidelines in fighting the pandemic.
Mr. Kanyiri stated that security agencies in Kwale county will tighten security in border areas especially in Shimoni and Lunga Lunga to restrict movements as a way of reducing cases of infection in Kwale.
“I also urged the people of Kwale to work closely with both arms of government in efforts to fight the spread of the virus,” he said.
At the same time the County Commissioner asked all public transport stakeholders to make sure that covid-19 protocol is followed in all public transport utilities including matatus, tuk-tuks and boda-bodas.