Kenyan County Opens Covid-19 Centre as Fear of Second Wave Mounts

The opening of the largest Covid-19 isolation centre in Meru Country, follows a warning by Health Secretary Mutahi Kagwe of a second wave of infections due to the public not adhering to containment protocols. Meru County health officials have raised concern that citizens, as well as politicians, have thrown caution to the wind, leading to triple the number of cases since September 1, 2020. According to health chief officer James Kirimi, they are considering using the 160-bed isolation unit in Igoji, since Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital and Mboroga Health Centre were full to capacity. Meru public health director John Inanga said that political rallies, social gatherings and markets, were the key drivers of the community transmission in the last two months. Kenya currently has 46,144 confirmed Covid-19 cases and has recorded approximately 858 deaths.

InFocus

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe giving updates on the status of Covid-19 in the country on October 18, 2020 at Afya House in Nairobi.

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