The County government has enhanced border surveillance along the border with the neighboring counties in an effort to prevent and contain entry of vehicles and people.

The new measures including thermo gun testing and fumigation of public service vehicles at the entry points to Kisumu County  at Sondu in Nyakach, Muhoroni at fort-tenan, Bangla, Awasi, Nyakwere, Pala Market in Nyando, Kisian, Kisumu pier and at Dunga beach.

Addressing journalist, Kisumu Governor said being a transit county and a city, Kisumu is forced to enhance surveillance following reported cases in the neighboring counties

“Our surveillance team along the county entry points will be on 24/7 vigilance to ensure no case is left undetected” Said the Governor.

Kisumu County Public Health Officers using Thermo guns (No Touch Infrared Thermometers) test for  high fever on passengers in all vehicles entering the city at Kisat on Kisumu-Busia highway (Picture by Jacob Owiti)

The Kisumu County today announced the 7^th COVID-19, positive cases and one fatality in the County since the last zero situation report on the 22^nd of May 2019.

During the media briefing earlier today, Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o stated that the diseased was a 57 year old male symptomatic patient referred from Migori.  All of the 7 cases are reported to have been imported in the county with two being transiting long distance truck drivers from Busia Border Control, while 4 of the cases were persons who traveled to Kisumu from Nairobi to attend three different funerals and 1 deceased.

The diseased presented with COVID-19 like symptoms and later was pronounced dead while under management.  Currently contact tracing of 66 people linked to the positive cases have been identified and quarantined.  The other four the governor said are admitted at the JOOTRH isolation center while the other two are in isolation centers in Nairobi.

The Governor also stated that the County is set to undertake stratified random sampling as away of establishing level of corona-virus  infections in the County. Stratified random sampling is a method of sampling that involves the division of a population into smaller sub-groups known as strata. The sampling study  will be done  in conjunction with Maseno university.

So far, 526 tests have been carried out of which 73% are males and 27% females.

7 More Stringent Measures to Contain COVID-19

In the face of the positive cases in Kisumu, Governor Nyong’o today reiterated the various precautionary actions to prevent any further spread of the virus and in order to protect residents and other persons of concern from becoming infected with the virus.

These actions provides protective measures such as limiting travel, avoiding crowds, social distancing, thorough and frequent monitoring to slow down the development of new COVID-19 cases and reduce the risk of overwhelming the health care system.

The measures are in line with the COVID-19 preventive actions which include:

• All bodies being transported from outside the county to or through the county shall be accompanied by cause of death record certified by a government pathologist and shall be accompanied by NOT more than 5 persons. The cause of death certificate shall be sent to the County Director of Public Health before departure from point of origin.
• All persons accompanying such bodies MUST be in possession of Covid-19 negative Certificates issued at the point of origin which must be presented to the County Director of Public Health before commencement of such journeys and written authority granted.
• Such bodies and accompanying parties SHALL be screened at the county border points of entry where the validity of the aforementioned documents shall be verified before being allowed to proceed to their destinations.
• Bodies transiting through the County shall be escorted by a team of security and public health officers from the border of entry to the border of exit and SHALL NOT be allowed to make any stop-over within the county.
• All bodies from within the county SHALL be removed from mortuaries no later than 9.30 AM for internment and buried within 6 hours of removal.
• All deaths within the county SHALL be either buried or cremated within 48 hours of such deaths.
• No mortuary either public or private SHALL receive bodies from deaths occurring from outside their facilities unless it is a police case which MUST only be presented by the police. Mortuaries that deviate from this directive SHALL have their licenses withdrawn and offending officers prosecuted under the provisions of the Public Health Act.

Governor Nyong’o announcing latest update on COVID-19 during a media brief at the County headquarters

150 dairy goats have been distributed to the farmers in an effort to improve household nutrition and rebuilding of livelihood of residents a midst the two devastating catastrophes that have greatly compromised livelihoods in the county.

This is part of the county government effort led by the department of Agriculture, Livestock and fisheries to restore livelihoods and combat critical levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in the wake of floods and COVID -19 pandemic.

According to Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, The Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing floods has provoked the displacement of up to 13000 households, destruction of about 8000 acres of rice, 30,000 acres of maize, 16,000 acres of sorgum, 8000 acres of pulse, 2000 acres of cassava, 2500 acres of vegetables and thousands of livestock all with a market value of about 3 billion shillings.

The 150 goats acquired at a cost of Kshs. 5,043,400 will ensure that dairy farmers improve household food and nutrition security, reduce stunting growth among our children under the age of five as well as increase participation of women and the youth in the dairy sub-sector.

The distribution of goats has come as the contribution by the County Government to rebuild livelihood and address food insecurity in the county. The distribution targeted farmers from the 7 sub counties in Kisumu.

The county government has so far put in a robust relief supply strategy that has been ongoing in the various camps in the county to support the vulnerable and the affected residents.

To ensure livelihood sustainability, the county government has further ensured that goats that meet specifications of good health and breeding performance are distributed to the residents.

Kisumu Governor, Prof. Nyong’o issuing goats to go to the farmers in an effort to improve household nutrition and rebuilding of livelihood of residents

The County government has put in place strategies to ensure security and accountability in dispensation of medicine and use of non-pharmaceuticals supplies in Kisumu health facilities.

The approach includes; use of gate pass in all public hospitals during distribution of medicines to satellite health facilities that  will be verified by the security persons in charge of the gate who will only allow the movement/exit if they see that the officer has been authorized, The transportation of the commodities for distribution will only be done through a lawfully recognized mode of transportation for government stores , Regular audits on usage of health products, Regular supportive supervision to the health facilities to enforce among other things improved management and accountability for medicines and supplies especially in rural health facilities and lastly, the introduction of electronic dispensing and inventory management system in every public health facility.

Governor Nyong’o addressing the press and Kisumu Residents during the flagging off of drugs distribution to the county health facilities

Good news to Kisumu residents as the Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o flagged off medicine and non pharmaceutical supplies at a total coast of  Kshs. 40Million to go to public health facilities, a move that reassured adequate health services  in the county.

Governor Nyong’o speaking during the flagging off of tracks carrying commodity supplies at the county headquarters said the provision is part of the 62 million pharmaceutical commodity purchases from KEMSA procured by the county government, adding that the remaining consignment worth Kshs. 22Million shall be delivered by KEMSA in due cause.

The governor gave stern warning to those entrepreneurs who are seeking to divert the consignment for sale, adding that as a government, stringent measures have been put in place to improve medicines security and accountability in the county health facilities.

The Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili in his address urged residents to keep seeking medical care when sick adding that the drugs are available for admission in all health facilities.

The supplies will guarantee a steady health service delivery to the residents Kisumu in the wake of Coronavirus that has influenced health seeking behavior among residents. This follows concerns that people are shying away from seeking health care in the hospital due to the fear of infection.

The consignment contains medical drug and supplies for JOOTRH, and 13 more County and sub county hospitals, spread out across the Kisumu.

Governor Nyong’o ( Right) together with His deputy Dr. Mathew Owili (Left) and KEMSA offical (Centre) inspects the medicine ready for distribution to the county health facilities.

Kisumu Governor, Professor Nyong’o this morning received 30 beds donation from the Abysinia Iron and Steel Company limited at the Lumumba Hospital in Kisumu.

The Governor while giving his remarks, thanked the donors for their generous act of offering beds and free oxygen, saying it came at a critical time when the County is making preparations for any eventuality of Covid 19 spread and also a time when an appeal for support towards management of the pandemic through the County Covid 19 Support is being spearheaded by Kisumu County Social and Economic Council (KECOSO.)

He reiterated that Plans are on course to make Lumumba Hospital a 70 bed capacity quarantine Centre, in addition to the 128 at KMTC and 200 at KCRH.

Currently, five bed holding capacity centers have been set up at the county hospitals namely: Ahero, Kombewa, Pap Onditi, Chulaimbo and Muhoroni.

The JOOTRH Intensive care Unit (ICU) is also undergoing expansion by 16 bed capacity from the current 13 beds. It is intended to have a 29 bed capacity at completion although the acquisition of ventilators  is a challenge.

“So far we have had 50 tests done in Kisumu, 18 from the isolation centers and 32 from quarantine centers which have turned negative” Governor reported.

He further stated that surveillance has been intensified with screening at the borders not letting anything to chance. The Sunset Hotel has also been set up to accommodate health workers who will be handling emergent cases to reduce exposure to their family members and Victoria Hospital as an isolation center for the health workers.

The Governor also took a swipe at politicians who want to use such critical situation for selfish interests to desist from confusing the public.

The Governor was flunked by his Deputy Dr. Mathew Owili who called on to business community and well-wishers to donate toward cushioning the vulnerable in the community. He also appealed to residents of Kisumu to adhere to the basic hygiene measures of keeping social distance, wearing masks in public places and washing or sanitizing hands regularly.

Also present were: City manager Dr. Doris Ombara, Chief Officer Public Health Mr. Joseph Okweso, Mr. Patel from Abysinia company ltd., Director  Public Health Mr. Fred Oluoch, Lumumba Hospital Superintendent Dr. Obiero among other top county officials

Kisumu Governor, Professor Nyong’o giving his remarks when he received bed donationfrom Abysinia Company Ltd at the Lumumba Hospital in Kisumu

Kisumu Governor, Professor Nyong’o flunked by his Deputy Dr. Owili, thanking Mr Patel from Abysinia Company for their donation at the Lumumba Hospital, Kisumu