The Ministry of Health has urged the President not to reopen citing the country’s lack of preparedness even as the current containment measures are set to come to an end on July 6.
Cabinet Secretary of Health Mutahi Kagwe said Kenya risks an upsurge of new coronavirus infections as the majority of counties is yet to prepare for the disease.
In his last address to the nation according to the Covid-19 situation in the country, President Kenyatta ruled out the automatic reopening of the country’s economy unless the counties are prepared.
“County readiness to respond to new imported cases of infection will largely determine our national readiness to re-open the country as a whole,” President Kenyatta said.
“I say this because the nation is the total of all the 47 counties. If the counties have met the necessary thresholds, then the nation will be ready to re-open,” the president said during a virtual summit with the 47 governors.
By Thursday, Kenya had recorded 178 new cases of coronavirus which is against the backdrop of large-scale community transmission.
The new cases within the country represent 4.5 percent of the 3,918 tested bringing the total coronavirus cases to 5384.
On 6th June, President Kenyatta extended the countrywide curfew starting at 9 pm and the cessation of movement in Nairobi, Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa, and Mandera counties. County governments were required to roll out minimum Covid-19 responses before the economy reopens.
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According to the progress report that was submitted to President Kenyatta by Council of Governors Chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya, so far the counties have acquired a total of 6898 isolation beds against the national target of 30500.
Only 12 counties have met the 300 per county isolation beds threshold while 34 more counties are still on course to reach the target before 6th July.
36 counties have so far reported having a cumulative 343 ICU beds while 28 others have 337 ventilators.
The counties also reported a total of 16,914 health personnel who have been trained for Covid-19 management.
