Three quarantined in Laikipia after Mombasa trip

An ongoing road construction. The three arrived to work on the Ngobit-Nanyuki road. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The three arrived at a Chinese construction site at Kona-Mbaya area between April 12 and 13 to work on the Ngobit-Nanyuki road.

One Chinese national and two Kenyan construction workers have been placed under self quarantine after traveling from Mombasa to Ngobit Ward in Laikipia County last week.

The three arrived at a Chinese construction site at Kona-Mbaya area between April 12 and 13 to work on the Ngobit-Nanyuki road.

Laikipia County's Health Department received an alert last Friday that the trio had successfully passed through several roadblocks while traveling from Mombasa as they had been categorised as individuals providing essential services.

Acting County Health Chief Officer David Mogoi, in a press statement yesterday, confirmed that they were screened and put on self quarantine at designated facilities within the camp.

"Samples were collected on April 19 and taken to the National Influenza Laboratory in Nairobi. The three suspected cases will be in self quarantine for 14 days with regular follow-up from the disease surveillance team," Dr Mogoi said.

"Any deviation from self quarantine protocols and directives will automatically lead to forced quarantine at own cost as provided under the operation regulations," he added.

Dr Mogoi said another sample collection and testing will be conducted on the individuals after completing the quarantine period.

"Contact shortlisting was done in the area with those who had been in contact identified and their profiles registered awaiting the results of samples...which will inform the next cause of action," he said.

Thirteen other construction workers had arrived at the camp on March 22, 2020. The senior health official affirmed that they were screened and none reported to have Covid-19 symptoms.

Out of the 16 construction workers who were deployed to the site from Mombasa, 11 are Kenyans and five are Chinese.

A local construction worker at the firm who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity said the 16 individuals have been mingling with locals at Kona-Mbaya shopping centre.

"We are worried because these workers have been interacting with residents freely until we alerted our chief. We wonder how and why they were sent all the way from Mombasa. Are we really safe from Covid-19?" the source wondered.