• We are praying and hoping for the best but clearly we must also prepare for the worst. And mentally we must prepare ourselves to face an insurmountable situation, Health CS says
It will get worse, ugly, and for that expect bad news, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has warned Kenyans.
During his daily updates at Afya House on Tuesday Kagwe warned that the war ahead will take a long time to be won, further noting that those who had been inconvenienced by the cessation of movement order by President Uhuru Kenyatta should understand the situation.
“Let me just say this, that my friends fellow Kenyans, let us brace ourselves for bad news. Let us be ready because all the measures that we are going to take will not stop the disease abruptly. It is already here with us, the CS said.
“We must be ready. This is not going to be a short term activity. We are not going to be dealing with this disease only for the next couple of weeks, We have to brace ourselves for the long term. And by long term I mean for the next couple of months,” Kagwe said on Tuesday
He noted that it is only through cooperation from Kenyans that the measures have been put in place will prove effective, and insisted that all those going to public places to do so while wearing a mask.
“We are praying and hoping for the best but clearly we must also prepare for the worst. And mentally we must prepare ourselves to face an insurmountable situation,” Kagwe further warned.
“We are akin to a boat that is sailing towards a massive storm and we must brace ourselves and be ready mentally.”
The CS announced Kenya had confirmed 14 more cases, and the total number now stands at 172.
The samples were among the 696 that were tested. Among those who tested positive, 12 were
Total number of recoveries are 7 after three more patients tested negative, while the deaths are six so far.
But there was some good news with the announcement of three more recoveries. Kagwe said the three had tested negative and were released to go home. So far, Kenya has recorded seven recoveries and six deaths.
The new cases emerged from 696 samples from quarantine centres tested in various laboratories. Of the 14 new cases, 12 are Kenyans, two from Mandera, while while two are foreigners.
Four have a history of travel from Tanzania, UAE, the US and South Africa, Kagwe said.
Seven of the new cases are from Nairobi, two from Mombasa and Mandera, while Machakos, Kisii and Kiambu have a case each.
“The two reported cases from Mandera is a recent travel from Mombasa county. That explains the decision by the President to close some of the areas where we feel people moving into and out of are causing further spread of the virus,” the CS said.
