Taita Taveta reports its first Covid-19 case
Moi County Referral Hospital Voi, Taita Taveta County where a truck driver who tested positive for Covid-19 has been isolated. PHOTO | LUCY MKANYIKA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Taita Taveta County has recorded its first Covid-19 case.
A truck driver who had been screened in Uganda and tested positive for the virus was on Sunday isolated at the Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi.
While confirming the incident, County Health Executive John Mwangeka said the truck driver was informed by Ugandan authorities that his samples had turned positive for coronavirus and advised him to check into the nearest health facility.
Mr Mwangeka said the patient was immediately intercepted and taken away by the county rapid response team at Maungu area on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway as he headed to Mombasa.
He said the driver told the medics that his samples were taken at the Malaba border on May 3, as he entered Uganda to deliver goods.
“He said he was called today (Sunday) by the Uganda health team who informed him that his tests turned positive,” he said.
He however, said his samples have been taken to Kenya Medical Research Institute in Kilifi for testing to confirm the status of the patient.
"We don't have any records from the Uganda to confirm the results and that is why we have to test again," he said.
The CEC said contract tracing has already begun to determine the people who came into contact with the patient.
“We have contacted Ugandan authorities and disease surveillance department in Nairobi to ensure that they help us in contact tracing,” he said.
He said the truck had been disinfected to avoid transmission of the virus.
Moi County Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Jeremiah Shem said the patient had been isolated at the facility as they waited for test results from Kemri.
"He is in stable condition but our health officers are monitoring him," he said.
