Attend Gatherings at Your Own Peril; Kagwe Warns
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Political activities and social gatherings are to blame for the current COVID 19 spike that is ravaging as new cases and deaths continue to be recorded in different parts of the country.
Speaking at Malindi Subcounty Hospital in Kilifi recently, health cabinet secretary Mutahi Kagwe, expressed concern over political rallies being done without observing the laid down ‘health protocols’ to combat the deadly disease.
After the relaxation of restrictions of the pandemic over a month ago, the deputy president William Ruto, the ODM leader Raila Odinga and his other NASA principals hit the road to popularise themselves with voters for the 2022 polls.
“As much as there are many issues that need to be addressed, it is important to note that the health of Kenyans is more paramount and leaders should scale down their political activities,” he said.
The CS reminded wananchi that no vaccine has been developed to deal with the coronavirus and asked them to take personal responsibility to avoid being infected by others.
HEALTH PROTOCOLS
Disturbed by the loss of 100 victims of the disease within a week, Mr Kagwe appealed to Kenyans to observe all the health protocols put forward by his ministry so as to control further spread of the virus.
Saying the disease is not a creation but reality, the CS urged every person to ensure they strictly followed the protocols to protect their families, their friends and their neighbours with whom they frequently interact.
In his comments, Kilifi governor Amason Kingi pleaded with his residents to cooperate with his health and administration authorities in fighting the disease that was surging in numbers within the county.
He pointed out that most of the 700 confirmed cases had happened during the ‘second wave’ of the pandemic attributing it to the ‘don’t care’ attitude by some residents.
Meanwhile, two senior health officials and some school children have tested positive of the disease in Tana River County.
The latest spike has seen a medical superintendent and health administrator of Hola County Referral Hospital and four students isolated for management.
From the 49 samples taken for testing at the KEMRI centre in Kilifi County, six returned positive while the rest are yet to be announced.
Two of the students identified as positive came from Sane Girls Secondary School in Delta Subcounty while the other two were from Tana Academy in Hola township that was forced to shut down.
At the same time, Amalgamated Bank of South Africa (ABSA) has given a Sh2 million tender to the Bombolulu Workshop and Cultural Centre to make facemasks in Mombasa County.
The more than 100 persons with disabilities will be expected to produce 20,000 facemasks within a period of one month.
HARD HIT
Survey indicates that the group has been hard hit since the COVID 19 pandemic was announced on March 13, 2020 rendering most of their crafts and artwork on a downward trend thus affecting their livelihoods.
Peter Ouma, marketing representative, said the tender will go a long way in securing their livelihoods during the ongoing pandemic.
“Despite what we are going through, we have been trying all means to get Kenya Medical Supplies approval to make facemasks and thank God they have done so,” he added.
The centre’s artisans have eked their living directly or indirectly from the tourism sector with about 60 per cent of their products being purchased by tourists and 40 per cent locally.
He called on well-wishers to come to their support by buying their products such as jewelries, earrings, shoes, leather bags, dresses and facemasks which are lying in their workshop without customers.
(Reports by Samuel Bandika, Gurach Worra & Salma Athman)