Kiambu set to kick off mass testing for corona

Kiambu County government is expected to begin mass testing for Covid -19.

Governor James Nyoro said the exercise will target entry points and hotpots within the county.

“We will start the mass testing at Soko Mjinga, Lari and Bluepost in Thika, which are the major entry points,” he said.

He noted that 5,700 people have been screened for coronavirus at police roadblocks.

Mr Nyoro said three people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Kiambu have been quarantined at the Kenyatta University Referral Hospital.

He disclosed that 280 people who had high fever tested negative for the disease.

The governor said mass testing will be done in Thika following reports that some residents of Eastleigh moved to the area to escape lockdown.

He announced that Thindigua, Riabai, Wangige, Ruaka and Githunguri will be prioritised in the exercise.

In charge of logistics

At the same time, about 8,500 families in Kiambu will benefit from food supplies from the county government in efforts to combat the effects of Covid-19.

On Wednesday, the governor flagged off three trucks ferrying the food for distribution across the county.

Nyoro said a team of six comprising of the respective area MCA, chief, and a church elder among others will be in charge of the logistics of the food distribution for transparency purposes.

“We have identified a list of beneficiaries. The team of six in every ward will oversee the distribution because we don’t want overcrowding,” said the governor.

“We have identified 8,500 vulnerable households in need of support. We have, however, consolidated them in clusters,” he added.

The governor explained that his administration, through the Covid -19 fund team, had assessed and mapped out the most vulnerable members of the community.

“We have 3,000 families from informal settlements, 3,000 in the arid and semi-arid areas and another 2,500 isolated cases who are in dire need. The food ration package will last the families one week,” he noted.

He said the food was from donors and the county government was waiting for the assembly to pass the supplementary budget, which will enable it reach more people.

“I want to be clear these donations are from donors; we are waiting for the assembly to pass the supplementary budget and thereafter we shall reach more households in the next phase and also reach flood victims,” he said.