This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, County Governors are now threatening to lock down their units if infections keep rising within their jurisdictions.
According to Council of Governors (COG) chair Wycliffe Oparanya, the decision to lock down counties may be necessary after witnessing rising numbers in counties neighboring Nairobi since the phased reopening was announced on July 6, 2020.
As of July 16, 2020, Nairobi carries the burden of more than 55 per cent of the total 11,252 cases, with a caseload of 6,245. Mombasa follows at 1,768 while Kiambu, which previously had a handful of cases, now ranks third nationally at 602 infections.
Busia and Kajiado counties both have more than 500 cases, while Machakos is proving a new brewing point for the virus, nearing the 400 mark.
Over the past ten days since the phased reopening, 3,588 new infections have been detected, with 2,290 of them found in Nairobi, and more than 200 new infections each in Kiambu and Machakos.
COG chair Wycliffe Oparanya stated, “In the event that the situation gets dire, individual County Governments will have no choice but to in consultation with President Uhuru Kenyatta seek to lock down the affected County to contain the rapid spread and protect lives.”
