Kenya High Court directs govt to submit report on tracing coronavirus patients

A Kenyan High Court Judge Justice James Makau has directed the government to submit a report on measures taken in response to a case filed by two doctors about tracing coronavirus patients, as reported by Citizen Digital on Tuesday

The judge had ordered the government to quarantine 239 passengers who arrived in Kenya aboard a Southern Airlines flight from China on Wednesday, February 26.

According to the report, the doctors' lawyer argued before the court that the government was yet to trace, reexamine or quarantine the passengers at a designated facility.

"We should get a report as to the position so far. This is a serious matter. It's an issue of life and death," Justice Makau said on Tuesday.

The two doctors are also seeking to have flights from China or any other World Health Organisation (WHO)-designated hotspot barred from entering the country in the wake of coronavirus fears, according to the report.

The government has requested additional time to prepare the documents and present them before the court. In the ruling, the judge also ordered Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe to undertake the role to protect Kenyans from any infections from the deadly virus.