On Friday the 22nd of May, Kisumu County reported zero cases having carried out 307 tests, 68 days after the first confirmed case in Kenya.
As the country records 1109 cases and 50 deaths from the 52,507 tests recorded to date, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o reported that the 307 tests have been carried out from suspected cases that exhibited case definitions and admitted at our isolation centers.
“41 are from isolation wards, 102 from quarantine centers, 36 JOOTRH patients with respiratory illness, 11 inmates from Kodiaga, 27 truck drivers, 82 hoteliers and 8 own requests.” says the Governor.
While addressing the press earlier today on the latest update, the Governor gave credit to the county’s response and prevention strategy as the reason for the current zero cases in Kisumu.
The strategy involves Training of 2187 Health care Workers, Risk Communication, Public Awareness and Education, compliance with the prevention guidelines released by the Ministry of Health, enhanced community and border surveillance screening.
The governor also stated that testing Kits are available, and that KEMRI is ready and able to conduct screening tests with 82 hotel workers having been tested to date.
Governor Nyong’os administration stated worrying concerns of the cross border infections, ordering for indefinite strict inter-county border surveillance.
The governor mentioned the plans to operationalize the clinical and case management taking cognizance of facility screening with holding Isolations in all county hospitals of Ahero, Muhoroni, Nyakach, Gita, Chulaimbo and Kombewa. Quarantine centers with 148 bed capacities and a COVID-19 dedicated 17 bed ICU facilities at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital scalable to 29 beds.
H.E Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o addresses the media during to day’s comprehensive update on Kisumu COVID-19 status (Photo journalist Jacob Owiti)