In Kenya, five people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Old Town, Mombasa have disappeared together with their families.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho said the escapees were among 65 people who had turned up for mass testing in the area.
Speaking on Thursday, May 7, the county chief said efforts to locate them were still underway and further opined that they were in hiding.
“Instead of coming to our facilities, they disappeared. They left to some unknown destinations with their families. We are yet to get them. They are in hiding,” Joho said.
This came a day after Old Town was put under partial lockdown after a sharp increase of COVID-19 cases in the locality.
The devolved unit also announced it was putting up a temporary hospital at Old Town to cater for other health conditions besides coronavirus.
Joho said the county health department had already seconded medical personnel and availed medicine to the new centre to attend to any medical emergencies.
”From today, the clinic opens its doors to those seeking medical attention from 7am to 5pm,” Mombasa chief county medical officer Khadija Shikelly said.
She added that there would be screening booths for COVID -19 and urged people to volunteer for the exercise.
The doctor further said people requiring quarantine and whose households met the threshold for the same would be allowed to self-quarantine in their own homes and their houses marked.
The governor also said they were making provisions to ensure adequate fresh drinking water for the locals as well as setting up satellite markets where families could buy daily provisions especially for Muslims who were celebrating Ramadhan.
”These markets where one can buy fresh farm produce like vegetable and meat include the area infront of the entrace to the Old Port, Piggot Place, Mswalani Mosque ,” he said.
Yesterday, Wednesday, May 6, several wellwishers including Opposition leader Raila Odinga donated towards the Mombasa County Emergency Household Relief and Nutrition Support Programme.
Raila’s donation of a truckload of maize and wheat flour was conveyed to the governor by Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal.
