This archive report was first published on 23 April 2020.
On April 23, 2020, a man who escaped from quarantine at the Kenya Medical Training Institute (KMTC) in Nairobi was traced and arrested at his home in Cheplanget, Kericho County.
Kericho County police commander Silas Gichunge confirmed the arrest, stating that investigations were ongoing to identify those the man had come into contact with.
This brings the total number of people arrested after escaping from KMTC to three.
Two others were arrested on Wednesday in a bar in Roysambu area, just a day after they escaped alongside over 45 others.
Health officials have warned that those who escaped from quarantine pose a significant threat to public health, and the government has urged Kenyans to report the whereabouts of the escapees to the police.
Acting Health Director General Patrick Amoth described the situation as unfortunate and warned that the law would catch up with those who escaped.
Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi emphasized that quarantine is not a form of punishment, but rather a measure to protect public health, and urged Kenyans to stop stigmatizing those sent to quarantine facilities.
