This archive report was first published on 20 July 2020.
Kenya's government is grappling with a growing COVID-19 crisis, with two Cabinet Secretaries and a senior official testing positive for the virus.
According to a source at the Ministry of Health, the three individuals were informed of their positive test results on Friday and have been advised to undergo home-based care in line with the ministry's guidelines.
"We can confirm that two Cabinet Secretaries and a senior government official have tested positive," the source said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The source added that the trio are asymptomatic and are being monitored closely.
Concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in government institutions have been growing, with the Head of Public Service, Joseph Kinyua, writing to Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and heads of parastatals to update him on the virus situation in their departments and the measures they are taking to mitigate its spread.
"I am aware of Kinyua's memo asking heads of departments to furnish his office with the list of their staff who have been tested for COVID-19, their results, and how they are being managed," said another source.
With the country experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases, more top government officials are expected to undergo tests in the coming days.
"Because of the rising cases of the disease across the country, more people may test positive from the sample we picked on Friday," the Health ministry source said.
As of yesterday, Kenya had reported 603 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 13,353.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has appealed to Kenyans to continue adhering to health protocols and containment measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
