Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Friday, during a media briefing at Afya house, shared data on the current infection trends in the city.
On labour day May 1, Kenya recorded 15 new cases of COVID-19 raising the national tally to 411. The number of fatalities also rose to 21 after four deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe noted that 23 areas in Nairobi and Mombasa have been identified as COVID-19 hotspots.
In a press briefing on Friday, the CS pointed out that the ministry has embarked on a thorough exercise of tracing contacts of 13 people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Kawangware.
“They are now in isolation centres and there lies the very important exercise of contact tracing because unless we can contact trace these patients, it means that the 13 will now be spreading COVID-19 in Kawangware and it spreads like a bushfire,” said Kagwe.
The CS noted that six people contracted the disease from the first patient who tested positive for COVID-19 in Kawangware.
According to ministry data, Dagoretti North constituency leads the county in transmissions with 30 confirmed positive coronavirus cases. The estates in Dagoretti North include Kawangware with 13 patients, Kilimani 6, Kileleshwa 5, Hurlingham 3 and Lavington 3.
“When we say that one person can transmit to very many people this is what we mean. One example is the first case came into Kawangware was case number 189. From case number 189 the immediate contacts all got it. This is very important to say when we talk about one individual is crucial. And then now comes the secondary cases who contracted the disease from the contacts of case 189,” CS Kagwe said.
This area is followed by Eastleigh in Kamukunji constituency with 11 confirmed cases CS said the ministry is closely monitoring.
“You know how densely populated Eastleigh is, so when you hear that there are 11 cases it means that there are more people in quarantine because of those 11,” said Kagwe.
The rest of the cases in Nairobi are spread as follows Kilimani (6), Pipeline (6), City Park Manji Court (5), Parklands (5), Dandora (5), Kileleshwa (5), Buruburu (4), Karen (4), Utawala (4), Kibera kwa DC (4), Hurlingham (3), Lavington (3) and Nyayo Estate (3).
South C and Karen in Langata constituency have 7 and 4 respectively while Kibra kwa DC has reported 4.
Pipeline estate in Embakasi South has six confirmed cases.
Dandora in Embakasi North has confirmed 5 Covid-19 cases, while Utawala and Nyayo estates in Embakasi East constituency have 4 and 3, coronavirus patients.
Mombasa
The CS said the COVID-19 situation in Mombasa is worrying as cases continue to rise by the day.
“Another case is the famous case from Malindi, case number 14. The immediate contacts who interacted with case number 14 got the disease. And they were able to transmit it to other people. This is just an example of the impact just one person can have on the spread of Covid-19.” CS Kagwe said.
Mvita leads with 36 cases. The cases are spread in Old Town, Kuze, Bondeni, Memon and Mlango wa Papa). Bamburi is ranked second with 11 cases and Likoni 8.
“Mvita is where we had an 87-year-old herbalist who died and almost all the cases in Mombasa can be tracked back to the same source,” the CS said adding that KPA (Kenya Ports Authority) has been a big challenge but they have done quite a bit of testing within there.
Nairobi and Mombasa counties remain the most impacted with 248 and 124 cases respectively. Partially locked down Kilifi, Mandera and Kwale also have 9, 8 and 2 cases in that order.
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Other counties with cases are Kiambu, Kajiado, Kitui, Nakuru, Siaya and Kakamega. Uasin Gishu, Homabay and Wajir complete the list.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday assured the country that all fund being sunk into combating the coronavirus will be properly accounted for and the report made public in due course.
He was speaking at State House as part of a muted 2020 Labour Day celebrations, addressing concerns in the wake of reports about financial mismanagement with the virus funds.
“We should also focus on the future since corona will not be with us forever. I was surprised when some criticized me for exporting flowers abroad. The flower industry employs very many people. The moment corona is over they will remember us for standing with them in their time of need.” President Kenyatta said.
The President also tasked Kenyans to do all it takes to combat the virus and minimize the incidences that may lead to massive job losses.
“We cannot relax in our efforts to conquer this invisible enemy and to put our economy on a strong growth path. Because, if we do not, we could lose upwards of half a million jobs over the next 6 months. We must do whatever it takes to minimize, if not to fully contain such loss in jobs. This is why my Administration has rolled out some FISCAL and MONETARY policy measures to cushion the looming situation. I have already announced the accelerated disbursement to the elderly and the indigent, coming from the Social Safety Net Fund,” President Kenyatta said.
Kenya Airways (KQ) converted four of its passenger aircraft into cargo carriers as part of its measures to lessen the impact of Covid-19 on its business.
“Kenya Airways this morning dispatched a cargo flight operated by our Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft from Nairobi to London loaded with 40,000kgs of fresh produce. This is part of the innovative initiatives we have embarked on by converting four wide-body passenger aircraft to fit our cargo operations in order to reduce the impact of Covid-19 on operations,” said the national carrier in a statement.
Analysts say the move is beneficial for the airline as well as for the horticulture sector in or Kenya. The flower industry has suffered losses due to a lack of access to its key markets after the pandemic almost grounded global travel.
Residents of Nairobi’s Kibera slum forced their way through a gate outside a district office for their chance at supplies to keep their families fed for another day. The scene in Kenya’s largest slum reflected the fears of millions across Africa as nearly 20 countries have imposed full lockdowns and others have shut down cities or imposed curfews.
Men in black with sticks beat people back as they fought over packages of food, some with face masks dangling off their chins. Some people fell and were trampled.
“The people who have been injured here are very many, even we cannot count,” said one resident, Evelyn Kemunto. “Both women and children have been injured. There was a woman with twins, she has been injured, and even now she is looking for her twins. … It is food we were coming for since we are dying of hunger.”
Residents desperate for a planned distribution of food for those suffering under Kenya's coronavirus-related movement restrictions push through a gate and create a stampede, leaving several injured, at a district office in Kibera slum, Nairobi, Friday, April 10, 2020. pic.twitter.com/KP6Rcycodf
— Brian Emmanuel 📸 (@BrianInganga) April 10, 2020
