Shalom Hospital in Athi River, Machakos County is no go zone after an unidentified number of patients succumbed to the novel COVID-19.
According to the area governor, Alfred Mutua, the patients might have contracted the deadly disease while at the facility.
He also noted that a health practitioner has also tested positive for the coronavirus.
“Last night, my Government, after consultations with the Kenya Medical practitioners & Dentists Council & the Director General of Health, SEALED off Shalom Hospital in Athi River following deaths of some patients due to covid-19,” the governor tweeted.
CLOSURE OF SHALOM HOSPITAL TO NEW PATIENTS: Last night, my Government, after consultations with the Kenya Medical practitioners & Dentists Council & the Director General of Health, SEALED off Shalom Hospital in Athi River following deaths of some patients due to covid-19.
— Dr. Alfred N. Mutua (@DrAlfredMutua) June 27, 2020
Governor Mutua also revealed that other inpatients have also tested positive for the respiratory disease.
The screening process, he noted, has kicked off but may take a while to complete.
The facility is now a quarantine facility as no one is allowed in or out of the premises.
“Further decisions will be undertaken according to evaluation of the relevant agencies involved in the provision of health care and combating of Covid-19,” he stated further.
The county chief asked citizens to be patient as relevant authorities ensure health facilities are safe for all.
“I urge all Wananchi to be patient as we ensure all health facilities are safe so as to avoid hospital based infections that were witnessed in places like New York and several Italian cities,” he added.
On Thursday, President Uhuru Kenyatta told governors that the reopening of the economy will solely depend on the counties’ level of preparedness to combat the spread of COVID-19.
“County readiness to respond to new imported cases of infection will largely determine our national readiness to re-open the country as a whole.
“I say this because the nation is the sum total of all the 47 counties. If the counties have met the necessary thresholds, then the nation will be ready to re-open,” he said.
So far only 12 counties have met the 300 isolation bed threshold.
According to governor Wycliffe Oparanya, devolved units have 6,898 isolation beds against the national target of 30,500 units.
Kenya’s toll surpassed the 5,000 mark on Wednesday.
Currently, positive cases stand at 5,553 with 1,905 recoveries and 137 deaths.
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