Government to jail those who fail to self-quarantine

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Health workers in protective gear at the isolation ward in Mbagathi hospital./COURTESY

If you know of someone who came from overseas and is not self-quarantining, you can report them through the government’s toll free number 719.

While giving an update on Coronavirus in the country, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that those who come in from overseas and fail to self-quarantine might face a jail term.

CS Mutahi said that the threat the country is facing, first and foremost, is from Kenyans who are coming from overseas or Kenyans who had visited overseas countries.

“Effective today, any Kenyan who is traveling from outside the country must sign a legal form at the airport to confirm that they are going to self-quarantine themselves, which gives us the instrument to jail them if they do not follow the procedure,” said CS Mutahi.

The Health CS said that self-quarantine was not a voluntary but compulsory procedure.

“If you do not and the public pronounces you as such and it is proved as such, we will then take you and quarantine you forcibly for 14 days and then charge you in a court of law,” he added.

18 cases are currently admitted at Mbagathi isolation center, seven others have been screened out and are negative. Samples from the remaining 11 cases are currently being processed.

“The seven who tested negative are being processed for discharge to continue self-quarantine at home under close supervision from the ministry of health staff collaborating with the country surveillance teams,” said CS Mutahi.

The country has seven confirmed cases of COVID-19.

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