NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 18 – The Ministry of Health on Wednesday confirmed three more cases that tested positive for coronavirus, raising the number to 7 for the global pandemic that has claimed over 7,000 lives.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe told a daily news conference eleven other suspected cases were being closely monitored awaiting the outcome of test results.
The three new cases include a couple who arrived from Madrid, Spain, through Dubai on March 4.
He added seven persons had been released from quarantined after testing negative for the virus.
In total, he said, eighteen cases were under quarantine at Kenyatta National Hospital’s Infectious Disease Unit located at Nairobi’s Mbagathi Hospital.
The health ministry said a total of 85 persons believed to have come into close contact with the three new cases are being traced for testing.
The third case, he said, is of a Burundian citizen-who arrived from Dubai and was isolated upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) due to high body temperatures.
“He was picked up by our surveillance team with high temperature during routine screening at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport,” the CS said.
Authorities are currently looking for people who might have come to contact with the three new patients.
So far, 18 people are admitted to to the Mbagathi isolation centre, 7 others have been screened and are negative while “samples from the 11 remaining suspected cases are being processed in our two designated laboratories.”
Those being discharged, he said, will embark on self-quarantine at home.
He urged Kenyans returning from abroad to exercise caution saying they must self-quarantine.
“It is now clear that the threat that we are facing is from Kenyans or foreigners coming or who have visited overseas countries,” the CS said.
Those arriving in the country will henceforth be required to sign a legal form committing to self-quarantine.
“We will forcefully quarantine you for 14 days and later charge you,” he said.
He said Kenyan doctors on Wednesday had a video-conference with Chinese doctors in Wuhan- where the disease has been put to control.
Across the world, the virus has claimed more than 7,500, people with Europe being the new epicenter. Italy remains the worst hit due to high fatalities and positive cases.
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