This archive report was first published on 8 May 2020.
On May 8, 2020, Kisii County members of the County Assembly made history by passing a Sh 15 million supplementary budget to combat the spread of Covid-19 in the area.
The budget was reallocated from funds meant for building a County Assembly complex, as the need for urgent action to combat the pandemic became clear. The global pandemic had already led to over 600 infections and over 20 deaths in the country.
Speaking at a press conference after unveiling a 300-bed capacity quarantine facility at Kisii Boys National School, Governor Ongwae commended the MCAs for their bold step, saying it was the first assembly in the country to support the executive during the pandemic.
The quarantine facility, which has 150 beds for women and an equal number for men, was established to relieve local medical training facilities and other quarantine areas in the sub-counties, which were holding those quarantined due to health reasons.
Additionally, 20 schools were identified as potential quarantine facilities in case of a worst-case scenario, with two schools in each sub-county, each with a bed capacity of 1000.
County Commissioner Stephen Kihara appealed to chiefs to ensure that those attending burials adhere to social distancing guidelines, which limit the number of attendees to 15.
He also ordered hotel business managers to comply with regulations and called on the public to report any malpractices by sending alerts to the 'mlikanamba' 908 hotline, which would reach the relevant authorities for action.
County Police Commander Jebel Munene warned those who disobeyed health protocols, such as wearing masks in public places and curfew laws, that they risked being candidates for the quarantine facility at their own cost, pending legal action.
Meanwhile, the 11 entry border screening points had screened over 400,000 people using thermo guns, with no one testing positive for Covid-19 symptoms.
