NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 1 – President Uhuru Kenyatta has commended the first and third coronavirus patients for helping in contact tracing and being responsible after they realized they had COVID-19 symptoms.
Kenyatta who spoke to the two in a video call urged Kenyans to follow the example set by the patients identified as Brenda and Brian to protect their loved ones, especially the elderly and people with preexisting conditions, from contracting the virus.
“If we were able to follow Brenda and Brian’s example, we can contain this disease. As the two young people are showing us, we can not only contain this disease, but we can also treat it and get out of it. So, for all of us who are out there with the symptoms, let us behave like these two brave and patriotic Kenyans,” Kenyatta appealed.
Brenda who was country’s first patient travelled from United States via London and had a cough three days after arrival.
“I think I may have contracted the virus in London or on the plane on my way back. After arriving in the country, I started having a cough and decided to watch the response of my body for a day and after that its when I decided to go to Mbagathi hospital where I was tested,” she narrated.
Brian on the other hand contracted the virus after coming into close contact with Brenda.
The country has so far recorded 59 COVID-19 cases with three patients having recovered so far.
One patient, a 66-year-old who died while undergoing treatment, was diabetic.
Meanwhile, President Kenyatta apologized to Kenyans for excesses by security officers in some parts of the country during implementation of the dusk-to-dawn curfew which kicked off on Friday.
“I apologize to all Kenyans for excesses that happened during implementation of the curfew. I want to assure you, that if we work together and understand that this problem needs all of us, we will overcome,” he said.
Since the first day of implementation of the curfew on Friday, Kenyans from various parts of the country were caught up in running battles as police officers deployed used unreasonable force to effect the the night curfew order.
Police officers in various parts of the country were caught on camera brutalizing members of the public hours before and after the 7pm to 5am curfew declared by the government to contain the spread of the coronavirus came to effect.
In Mombasa, videos capturing the chaotic scenes showed police officers clad in anti-riot gear lobbing teargas canisters near the Likoni ferry channel at around 5pm, as others clobbered innocent commuters with batons as they ordered them to lie down on the ground.
“I want to thank those in Mombasa who are now orderly crossing the ferry. I want to thank all those who are ensuring that they maintain their work schedules while allowing our Kenyans to leave their places of work on time in order to beat the curfew,” the Head of State said.
“We as a government are preparing for the worst but together with 47 million Kenyans are hoping and praying that we do not have to take further measures,” Kenyatta added.
