Covid-19: Escapee from Nairobi arrested in Kericho, isolated - VIDEO

A man who escaped from a Covid-19 quarantine facility in Nairobi has been arrested in Kericho County.

Police officers pounced on the man at Tiriitap Moita in Bureti Constituency on Thursday afternoon.

"He has been transferred to an isolation centre at Kapkatet Sub-county Hospital," said Bureti Sub-county Police commander Felician Nafula.

Ms Nafula said police would issue a detailed statement later.

REACTIONS

The arrest caused panic in the area, coming after reports that at least 15 people had escaped from the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Nairobi.

"It is scary that a man could escape from a quarantine centre and travel all the way to Bureti from Nairobi, mingling freely with others," said Mr Geoffrey Rono Kataress, a resident of Litein town.

About a week ago, a woman and her spouse disappeared from a quarantine centre at Nyagacho in Kericho town and were later arrested in Kisii County.

PRESIDENT'S WARNING

In an address on the matter on Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta said Kenyans' lack of seriousness has turned out to be his government's biggest challenge in the fight against the pandemic.

Mr Kenyatta said many Kenyans wee "deliberately taking lightly the threat of Covid-19", and that those who escaped from the KMTC would be arrested and forced to complete the mandatory isolation period.

"What we have said is that those breaking the regulations we have given ... there is no need to take them to the police station. Let them be taken to mandatory quarantine. If they break those rules again, take them back. We cannot have a few people erode the efforts we have made," he said in radio interview.

He added, "We will get them and they must finish their quarantine period. We know you and we will find you. You can't be a burden on law abiding Kenyans if you are found violating curfew measures to tame Covid-19."

Follow:The Coronavirus Tracker