Employees of British Army camp placed on quarantine in Nanyuki

Some 13 employees of the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) have been placed on quarantine in Nanyuki after they travelled from Nairobi without the requisite Coronavirus clearance to travel out of the city.

The 13, all Kenyans, who work as mechanics and drivers were intercepted at Kamangura roadside checkpoint on the outskirts of Nanyuki town travelling in a bus to the army base where they work but on interrogation they revealed they had travelled from Nairobi.

Health personnel and security officers manning the checkpoint immediately isolated the travelers after checking their temperature and detained them for several hours as they sought directives from the Laikipia health department.

A high powered team of health officials led by the acting Laikipia Chief Officer Dr. Donald Mogoi visited the scene where the BATUK employees were detained and resolved to have them quarantined at the military facility for 14 days where they will be tested for COVID–19 before being allowed to resume work if the test negative.

Laikipia County Commissioner Daniel Nyameti speaking to the press at his Nanyuki office on Tuesday said that the employees were among a group that was caught up when the cessation of movement in and out of the capital city was announced by the president on April 6 as a containment measure to curb the spread of COVID-19.

“The workers were required at the Nanyuki army camp to service some of the vehicles and machinery used by the British Army and that’s why BATUK decided to ferry them to their facility here in Nanyuki,” Nyameti said.

The County Commissioner added that the workers would be monitored closely to ensure that they observe the quarantine regulations and that they also do not mingle with other employees during the period.

“None of the BATUK employees displayed any sign or symptoms of COVID-19 but we would not like to take chances that’s why we decided they be quarantined as they had travelled from Nairobi which has recorded many cases of the disease,” the County Commissioner added.

He allayed fears that the employees would mingle with the public and assured that BATUK had undertaken to ensure that the quarantine measures would be met to the letter.