Chinese man who was quarantined earlier today in Kitui over suspected Coronavirus infection did not test positive, doctors have said.
The man was an employee of Synohydro Corporation, the company tarmacking Kitui-Kibwezi road and had been reported to have arrived in the country on Sunday in the company of 18 other Chinese nationals.
However, the company’s acting project manager Zeng Yuh said the worker was among a group of 14 who had gone to China on leave but that he returned alone.
“We did not have 18 people coming to Kenya from China as reported,” Zeng said.
Earlier, medics who had gone to check the worker were repulsed by the Chinese nationals, and it took the intervention of the police to access the worker.
“When observatory tests were done, the case did not have any symptoms related to the Coronavirus. He was not coughing, did not have fever as his body temperature was 35.9 degrees Celsius and thus normal. He did not have a running nose or difficulties in breathing,” said Health chief officer Richard Muthoka.
He was subjected to tests by Kitui South subcounty medical officer Dr Paul Kibati on Tuesday.
However, the worker will remain in isolation for 14 days under close monitoring by doctors.
“And if symptoms will not have manifested, he will be allowed to mingle with other people,” added Muthoka.
Zeng on his side said that the employee had only been quarantined as a standard precautionary measure, and not because he manifested any signs.
“The Chinese embassy in Nairobi had directed that any person traveling from China must be put in isolation for 14 days. That is why we had to put the officer in isolation at our camp in Mutomo. Any other worker returning from China will receive the same treatment,” Zeng said.
