Connect with us

General News

Kenya: Govt Turns Spotlight On Refugee Camps as COVID-19 Hits 490 in Kenya

Published

6 years ago

on

[ad_1]

Nairobi — The Government has heightened COVID-19 surveillance in refugee camps as cases remained on an upward trajectory since last week.

The surveilance was heightened a week after Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi declared a lockdown in Dadaab and Kakuma camps which host nearly half a million refugees from Somalia and South Sudan respectively.

According to the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Kenya has more than 490,000 refugees, mostly from Somalia.

Health Director for Health Dr Patrick Amoth says capacity building for health workers serving the refugee population is already ongoing, to ensure they are also covered in measures adopted to curb the spread of the disease.

“Together with our partners including UNHCR, World Vision, Red Cross and all other players we have enhanced surveillance capacity in our refugee camps,” he said.

On Monday, COVID-19 cases in the country jumped to 490, after 25 new infections were recorded in Mombasa and Nairobi.

“We continue with advocacy and community social mobilization, so that we can have the refugees as part of us in the fight against covid-19,” he said.

Testing has already kicked off in Wajir to cover the Northern region.

On Monday, Chief Administrative Secretary at the Ministry of Health Dr Mercy Mwangangi said there was an indication of a further increase in positive cases in the coming days.

“I dare to say these figures will continue to rise. Things are not back to normal,” she said.