Covid-19: Kericho-based FM station shuts after 9 staff members test positive

A Kericho based radio station has been closed down for two weeks after nine of its staff tested positive to Covid-19.

Lynton Yegon, the Head of Radio Light and Life station confirmed the devastating news for the station which focuses on religious matters.

“Nine of our staff members have tested positive to Covid-19. The first staff member was tested on Monday and the results were released on Wednesday at 10.36 am and were taken in for treatment at the Kericho County Hospital Covid-19 isolation facility,” he said.

Yegon added, “We have been in consultation with the Board of Directors, Media Council of Kenya and the Department of Health, Kericho County, and [we] decided to close down the radio station for two weeks effective today at 5.00 pm to allow our staff to receive proper medical attention and to fumigate our premises.”

Yegon added that they will subsequently keep the station listeners and the members of public posted on any new developments through the station’s social media pages.

“Meanwhile all our listeners are advised to adhere to the strict guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health to ensure that they stay safe from the Covid-19,” he said.

The Covid-19 infections in the country have been on a sharp increase as the Ministry of Health warns of approaching virus peak.

On Thursday, Kenya hit the highest number of infections in a day as 796 new cases were recorded after testing 6,754 samples.

Country’s total caseload now stands at 15,601 after testing 261,027 samples.

Over the past 24 hours, 378 patients recovered from the disease, bringing to 7,135 total recoveries.