Tables turned as Kenyan students in China now worried about families back home » Capital News

NAIROBI, Mar 19 – Nearly a month ago, there was a lot of frustration and uncertainty over the state of Kenyan students in China, especially Wuhan City, where the first case of the coronavirus was diagnosed.

Soon after the spread of the virus, Kenyan students trapped in the region decried frustration caused by a lack of basic supplies, which prompted many Kenyans to lobby for their return to Kenya.

Things have since changed. The Kenyan students in China now say they are worried over the state of their families and friends back home after 7 cases of the virus have been confirmed by March 18.

The presence of coronavirus in Kenya has put the entire nation in panic mode as most activities have been put on hold, with most companies advise staff to work from home.

“It feels good to have the freedom back, but I am worried for my family and friends more than I am with myself because of the limited resources in Kenyan government to contain the pandemic and to self-quarantine,” said Remmy Mugun, a 24-year-old student at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Jiangsu province.

China on Thursday marked a major milestone in its battle against the coronavirus pandemic as it recorded zero domestic infections for the first time since the outbreak emerged, but a spike in imported cases threatened its progress.

The stark reversal comes as nations across the world have shut down in a desperate effort to contain the pandemic, with more people now infected and having died abroad than in China.

Victor Kamnde, a student in the same institution, also shared similar sentiments saying, “I am nervous and worried about them (family and friends). Going home is not a good idea; we are safe here; I would not consider going home.”

The two said that the situation in China is calm as new cases of the virus have diminished, allowing residents to move around to marketplaces and social places slowly.

“There is a sense of ease and calm, the situation is now better, and we can move around more, the establishments deemed essential for the wellbeing of people is open. Social places are being systematically opened on condition that management takes temperature and information of their students.

“Things are getting better, and businesses are opening up, there is more movement and people are free to move, but we still look out not to get infected,” 23-year-old Kamande added.

Unlike in Kenya, where schools have closed and learning halted countrywide, students in China are undertaking online classes in their respective institutions in a bid to finish studies within the stipulated time.

“We are going on with studies, mostly online and we
have classes through applications where we have conference calls, we also get
lecture videos which we go through during our free time, the situation is not
that bad,” Mugun said.

Nonetheless, they expressed optimism with the Kenyan Government measures to protect its citizens but noted that more could be done to contain the situation

“The government should also encourage people to know more about the virus, Kenyans have no idea on this virus, when it was in China, many people I asked had no correct information. The government should do more on letting people know, and people should put on masks and practice self-quarantine,” Kamande noted.

On Wednesday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe and medical experts were on a video conference with Chinese officials to learn on the best way to manage the pandemic that has killed more than 7,500 people globally, many of them in China. Europe was recently declared the new epicentre of the virus, but Italy remains the worst hit.

Wuhan, where the first case was reported, and its 11 million people were placed under strict quarantine on January 23, with more than 40 million other people in the rest of Hubei province entering lockdown in the following days.

But there is concern about a second wave of infections due to an influx of cases from abroad, with an average of 20,000 people flying into China every day.

Beijing and other regions are now requiring most international arrivals to go into 14-day quarantine in designated hotels.

The National Health Commission said there were 34 more cases brought in from abroad, the biggest daily increase in two weeks, with 189 in total now.

“We should never allow the hard-won and continuous positive trend to be reversed,” President Xi Jinping said at a Communist Party leadership meeting on Wednesday.