The Kenyan government has advised 239 passengers from coronavirus hit China to voluntarily self-quarantine for two weeks after China Southern Airlines resumed flights to Kenya on Wednesday amid the epidemic.
China Southern Airlines resumed its flight to Kenyan after a temporary halt due to the spread of deadly Coronavirus, which broke out in Wuhan City, China.
However, it remains unclear why the flights resumed amid the epidemic. Kenyan took to social media to complain over the move, accusing the government of risking the lives of Kenyans.
“While developed countries are worried about corona virus, a dangerous disease with 80,000 reported cases and death toll approaching 3,000 our struggling countries have resumed flights to Kenya. The fact that we lack a lab test for Corona Virus aside, our public health centres don’t even have medicine to combat common cold,” wondered Samson Ogola.
The ministry of health in a statement advised Kenyans to against non-essential travel to countries experiencing the outbreak, in view of the expanding geographical spread of the outbreak across the world.
“Members of the public are advised to remain vigilant as the risk is still high and to continue taking precautionary measures by maintaining basic hand and respiratory hygiene, safe food practices and avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections,” the ministry noted.
So, far the ministry has investigated 17 alerts and all have tested negative. According to the ministry, two alerts were investigated on Tuesday and both did not meet the World HEALTH Organization case definition criteria.
The COVID-19, initially referred to as Novel Coronavirus 2019 broke out in Wuhan City, China late last year.
JK/abj/APA