Nairobi — The government has warned vendors against allowing customers to fit more than one face mask when purchasing because it is a dangerous trend that can lead to mass infections of COVID-19.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Mercy Mwangangi said there was need for vendors to label masks with sizes and even package them.
“We have observed that most people are not wearing masks the right way. A few of us are having the hang on their chins until they meet a law enforcing officer, for them quickly pull it up,” she said, “and others are fitting them before buying.”
She also cautioned people and associations seeking to research on the disease to notify the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation, to ensure their studies meet the accepted standards.
The country’s caseload hit 490 on Monday after 25 new infections were confirmed in Mombasa and several estates in the capital Nairobi.
“I dare to say these figures will continue to rise. Things are not back to normal,” Dr Mwangangi said.
In Nairobi, the new cases announced Monday are spread out in Mathare, Embakasi, Umoja and Kawangware which remains a hotspot since last week.
“The virus is now fully in our communities and the rate of infection is not going down,” said Dr Mercy Mwangangi, a Chief Administrative Secretary at the Ministry of Health. A six-month-old baby was among the new infections.
Cases in the country have been rising fast in the last three days, with an average of 20 cases a day.
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There were 30 cases confirmed on Sunday and 24 on Saturday.
The increase in cases is attributed to the mass testing initiative that kicked off last week, even though the government has decried low interest from the public in taking the test.
“We still need to maintain these containment measures. They are not for fun; this is not a child’s play. There is crowding in hotels, people lining up at the cashier. We need to remind ourselves of the pictures we were seeing in other countries in February and March. Do we really want to go there?” Mwangangi posed.
She urged every citizen to be responsible and play their part in helping the government combat the spread of the virus that has so far claimed 24 lives in the country.
In Nairobi, the new cases are spread out in Mathare, Embakasi, Umoja and Kawangware which remains a hotspot since last week and among areas which are densely populated.
Globally, there were 3.5 million infections and more than 250,000 deaths by May 4.