Health ministry: Kenya coronavirus cases rise to 59

Kenya has reported nine new coronavirus cases bringing the total number of people with the virus to 59, Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi has announced.

Mwangangi said the nine were from 234 samples tested in the last 24 hours.

She said 1,160 people who have come into contact with the positive cases are being monitored.

Mwangangi also said the government will use boarding schools as isolation for testing and treating coronavirus patients should the situation get worse.

She also said the national government in consultation with the county government will hire 1000 medics to bolster the current number.

 “We are consulting with counties to hire more health workers to help address the situation,” she said.

She lauded health workers for doing a good job so far and said the ministry will ensure they are provided with proper gear for handling coronavirus patients.

She said plans are underway to engage local manufacturers to produce additional kits for use.

Mwangangi also said the ministry will in the coming days test more people and urged Kenyans to obey directives issued by the government to contain the spread of the disease.

On Monday, March 30, eight more people tested positive for coronavirus.

Of the eight positive cases, one was a guest under mandatory quarantine, six others were close contacts of the 42 cases reported previously and the other from The Aga Khan Hospital.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Monday said Nairobi still leads in the number of cases as community transmissions spiked across the country.

The government has cautioned people living in Nairobi against travelling upcountry, saying they could endanger elderly people.