This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
July 9, 2020 - Vihiga County, Kenya - The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a turn for the worse in Vihiga County, Kenya, with six more people testing positive for the virus in the past few days.
According to Dr. Amos Kutwa, the Vihiga County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health, the new cases were confirmed after sample swabs from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) indicated that five people were Covid-19 positive.
These individuals were contacts of a female patient who is currently in isolation at the Vihiga County Referral Hospital (VCRH), while the sixth case is a staff member at the hospital.
Dr. Kutwa revealed that the affected individuals have been put under self-isolation for home-based care management.
He also announced that a team of health officers has launched an investigation to determine where and how the health worker was exposed to the virus.
As part of the containment measures, the department of health is scheduled to conduct target testing for the Coronavirus at the county hospital and Chavakali town today.
Teams of health and security professionals will be dispatched to the area to mount contact tracing and testing.
Dr. Kutwa appealed to the public to remain calm and continue adhering to the Ministry of Health's containment measures, including observing social distancing, washing hands, using hand sanitizers, and wearing face masks.
