Kahiga expresses concern as arrivals in Nyeri hit 36,000 amid containment order » Capital News

NYERI, Kenya, April 9 – At least 9,000 people arrived in Nyeri daily between Monday and Wednesday amid a containment order in Nairobi, the county government reported Wednesday amid coronavirus fears.

Roadblocks mounted by the county to monitor temperatures of all inbound travelers captured 36,000 arrivals with close to 18,000 of the travelers arriving in the county between Tuesday and Wednesday, a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the containment of Nairobi county which has been singled out as a hotspot for COVID-19

“According to statics from our entry points where we are checking temperatures for the last three days over thirty-six thousand people have gained entry to our county. This means that nine thousands are entering from God’s knows where daily,” Governor Mutahi Kahiga said.

Kahiga had on March 31 announced plans to restrict travelers from cities including Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu from travelling to the county in a bid to protect elderly people in the county from being infected with coronavirus.

His remarks came at a time of growing concerns amid reports of motorists and Passenger Service Vehicle (PSV) operators circumventing the cessation of movement into, out of and through Nairobi which took effect on Monday, April 6.

Police on Wednesday impounded three PSV vehicles in Masinga, Machakos County, while on a diversion to avoid a roadblock. The offending crew had traveled from Mombasa which also came under the containment order on Wednesday.

Kenya has so far recorded 179 coronavirus cases out of which nine patients have recovered.

Six patients have so far died from the virus.