How mass tests will be rolled out

Hotels, isolation centres, hospitals and quarantine centres will be targeted in the first phase of mass testing for the coronavirus disease, the Ministry of Health said Tuesday.

Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi said that 12,000 kits will be distributed by end of the week as the government moves to ramp up testing for the virus.

This comes as the country reported eight new cases of Covid-19 Tuesday — five Kenyans and three foreigners, bringing the total to 216 infections.

“The first phase of the mass testing will see 12,000 testing kits deployed in the coming days and this will target the cluster areas we have mentioned,” Dr Mwangangi said.

The country has not recorded new deaths since Monday — a big relief in the fight against the disease at a time the government tested 694 people for the virus.

The total number of recoveries stands at 40 while deaths are at nine.

In the new cases announced Tuesday, Nairobi had six infections while Siaya and Nakuru recorded one each, showing the virus was spreading to further areas outside the capital that has recorded the highest number since the first case was reported on March 13.

Dr Mwangangi warned that Kenyans should brace themselves for tougher days ahead of the mass testing, saying that the cases are set to spike as the country enters its most crucial period yet in the fight against the disease.

Out of the testing kits to be rolled out, the Kenya Ports Authority, and Mombasa, Kilifi, Siaya and Mandera will all receive 1,000 testing kits as the State turns focus on the counties on rising infections.

Testing for coronavirus will also run at all centres that have been testing for tuberculosis in the efforts to scale up the fight against the pandemic, the government said.

While Nairobi leads in infections with 101 cases followed by Mombasa with 34 and Kilifi with 10, Mandera, Siaya, Machakos, Kajiado, Nakuru and Kiambu are recording an increase in infections.

Last month, the State banned movement into and out of Nairobi Metropolitan Area, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties for an initial period of 21 days in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.