This archive report was first published on 14 May 2020.
As the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health has identified truck drivers as the weak link in the fight against the virus.
According to Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, the high number of recorded cases among truck drivers is due to human interactions on both sides of the country's border, particularly at porous borders.
“Due to the nature of human interactions, it was not possible to keep the virus from crossing the borders. Our porous borders are the ones that have become the latest high-risk areas with the transmission of the disease,” Dr. Mwangangi said.
The government has taken measures to address the issue, including sending a technical team to the Namanga border to assess the situation and recommend interventions for truck drivers.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health referred back 25 Tanzanians at the Namanga and Isebania borders after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
Dr. Mwangangi appealed to Kenyans living at border areas to actively exercise the Nyumba Kumi Initiative and report any suspicious individuals who may have used illegal routes to enter the country.
