Kenya: Ministry of Devolution orders 18 officers to self-isolate after tested positive

Kenya's Ministry of Devolution, on Monday, has ordered eighteen officers to self isolate for two weeks after they tested positive for COVID-19 as the country continues to battle the pandemic with cases steadily rising each day, according to a news report by Nairobi News.

In a memo signed by Devolution Principal Secretary, Charles Sunkuli, the tests were done on 128 samples on July 23 and the 18 turned out positive.

"The purpose of this memo is to request you to inform all officers working in your departments to self-isolate themselves for the next two weeks," the memo reads in part.

The affected employees have been advised to self-isolate until 16 August and will be expected back in the office on 17 August, for another round of mass testing.

Last month, Government Spokesman, Col (rtd) Cyrus Oguna, said he had contracted Covid-19 and that he is at an isolation facility.

In a statement posted on social media, Oguna said he had developed mild symptoms after returning to Nairobi from an assignment.

He said his family is well and his previous contacts were being traced. Oguna had days earlier denied being hospitalized for coronavirus.

On Monday, 263 patients recovered from the virus, 176 being from the home-based care program and 87 are from various hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries to 8,740.

The country on the other hand reported 13 fatalities bringing the tally to 382 individuals who have succumbed to the virus. Kenya has since March confirmed 22,597 cases in the country.