NAIROBI, Kenya, May 11 – Kajiado County recorded nine more coronavirus cases on Monday, out of the 28 confirmed cases registered in the country within 24 hours raising the country’s COVID-19 tally to 700.
The new cases raise to seventeen the total number of coronavirus cases registered in Kajiado.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman said all the nine cases recorded in Kajiado are from Kenyan truck drivers from Tanzania, raising concerns over increased infections at border counties.
“It concerns us when see large numbers of cases at border counties. The nine cases in Kajiado are Kenyan truck drivers from Tanzania who were tested at Namanga border point,” Aman pointed out.
Mombasa and Nairobi accounted for 10 and 7 cases respectively, with the country’s coronavirus death toll raising to thirty-three after one more patient succumbed to the virus in Nairobi.
Wajir also a border county bordering Somalia, accounted for two cases registered in the country on Monday, raising to 11 coronavirus cases in the county.
The Ministry of Health on Sunday announced designated stopover areas for truckers transporting cargo to neighboring countries in a bid to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Director of Public Health Dr Francis Kuria elaborated the enhanced measures as the cargo transport sector emerged as a potential weak link in the fight to contain COVID-19.
So far Seven Kenyan truck drivers are being treated in Uganda after they tested positive on Friday.
Kuria further said the ministry had scaled up the number of testing centres for cargo transporters along the Nairobi-Namanga corridor and the Mombasa-Nairobi-Malaba corridor.
This is in addition to the requirement that cargo truck drivers be tested 48 hours and obtains a COVID-19 free Certificate before their scheduled travel.
The requirement for a COVID-19 free certificate was adopted by the East African Communities countries as they seek to ensure seamless movement of goods into the region.
