This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
On April 20, 2020, Kisumu County received a significant boost in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with the donation of 30 beds by Abysinia Iron and Steel Company Limited. The donation was received at Lumumba Sub-County Hospital in Kisumu, where Governor Anyang Nyong'o expressed gratitude to the company for its contribution.
The new donation brings the county's installed quarantine bed capacity to 398, with additional beds to be installed at the facility, which has the capacity to hold 70 patients. A 200-bed centre is also nearing completion at Kisumu County Referral Hospital, while an additional 128 beds have been installed at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
As part of the county's efforts to prepare for any potential outbreak, all county hospitals have set up 5-bed holding centers, and the County Government has acquired Sunset Hotel to house health workers managing emergent cases. Victoria Hospital has been reserved as an isolation center for healthcare workers in the event of an infection.
"One may ask why all these measures," Governor Nyong'o said. "As you are aware, Kisumu has the largest referral health facility in this region, and we expect that in the event of an outbreak, we shall receive cases from our neighbouring counties and we must be able to handle them."
Although Kisumu has not recorded any COVID-19 cases, the governor emphasized the importance of intensifying screening at points of entry into the county to help contain the virus. He also reported that over the past month, the county has carried out 50 tests, with all returning negative results.
"I am happy to report that over the one month since the first case was reported in the country, we have carried out 50 tests; 18 from the isolation centers and 32 from Quarantine centers with all returning negative results," Governor Nyong'o said.
