Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top
Kitiyo made the announcement when he joined Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho on a tour of Old Town area on Saturday/FILE/KNA

Capital Health

Govt mulls containment of Mombasa’s Old Town as locals shun mass COVID-19 tests

NAIROBI, Kenya May 2 – The government is considering imposing stricter containment measures on Mombasa’s Old Town after it emerged locals were shunning mass COVID-19 tests.

Mombasa County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo Saturday said they government may resort to the move after an ongoing mass testing exercise in the area hit a snag with residents turning out in low numbers.

Kitiyo said even though health authorities planned on testing 500 people per day, only 55 residents turned out for the exercise on on Friday when the exercise was launched while 71 people availed themselves on Saturday.

“We will continue monitoring the mass-testing and if those who are coming for the exercise is still low, we will cordon off this area and we will ensure that everyone is tested for COVID-19.” he said.

He cautioned the citizens against trivializing the impact of the pandemic which has so far claimed 22 lives in the country with 435 in total having tested positive.

He warned the residents’ that violation of rules is akin to ‘dancing with death.’

Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho supported the move and warned opinion leaders against misleading and inciting residents against taking tests.

“We will not keep repeating ourselves, we have come to declare today, that you must be tested and if you refuse to be tested, we will ensure that you cannot move out of this area, so that if you are a carrier, you infected each other,” Joho told the residents.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News