Tougher measures on the way, Kagwe warns

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe during the daily updates on Covid-19 cases at Afya House, Nairobi on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Kenyans should get ready for tougher measures as the government enforces measures to contain coronavirus.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe yesterday announced 45 new cases of Covid-19, the highest tally in a day for Kenya so far, as the spotlight remained on Nairobi's Eastleigh, where 29 of the new cases were reported.

Kenya’s total confirmed cases now stand at 535 out of which 63 are from Eastleigh. 

"There is now community spread happening in Nairobi and particularly in Eastleigh. These are numbers from the last 24 hours,” the CS said.

Eleven of the cases were reported in Mombasa while Wajir had five. There was one foreigner who also tested positive for coronavirus.

Cases in Wajir were linked to recent travels by residents to Mogadishu, Somali.

Other hotspots, as per the ministry’s mapping, are Kawangware in Nairobi, which has 24 cases so far, and Mombasa's Old Town with 39.

“In those areas, we need to take action. We are consulting the respective counties on the same,” Kagwe said, as he added that nine more patients have tested negative for the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 182.

He expressed disappointment with what he termed laxity by some Kenyans in adhering to measures the government has issued in order to fight the disease.

He said the government will not hesitate to come up with more stringent measures if this culture does not change.

“The figure we have today demonstrates things are not getting better. Yet, some people have come to a conclusion that things are back to normal,” Kagwe said. “It is as a result of this behaviour that we are now seeing a rise in the number of positive cases.”

The CS said the government's decision to reopen restaurants -- which he noted some Kenyans are abusing -- may be revised as part of the new measures to be announced this week.

“People have been going to the clubs and order three beers with one sausage then move to the next one and order two more beers,” Kagwe said

The partial reopening of restaurants was announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta as part of the plan to reopen the economy battered by the Covid-19 which was first report in Wuhan, China, in December last year. The disease has so far infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and killed over 250,000. 

After Uhuru's announcement, the ministry released guidelines on how the restaurants should operate upon reopening. For instance, all staff must be tested and have certificates confirming they are negative for Covid-19.

The guidelines allow the establishments to serve alcoholic beverages only with meals. Kagwe said the government will not hesitate to permanently close establishments found to be flouting the guidelines.

“It is a matter that is on the table but we will try as much as possible to ensure that we get people to behave. There is nothing that is stopping us from permanently closing them or suspending their licenses,” he warned.