Mandera closes Treasury office after staff contracts virus
Mandera Governor Ali Roba poses for a picture with county officials and medics during the launch of the county's Covid-19 Molecular Laboratory at the Mandera County Referral Hospital on October 19, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Mr Alinoor Mohamed Ali, the Accounting and Finance Chief Officer, wrote a memo to staff, saying the officers will remain closed for 14 days.
- Mr Ali said limited access will be allowed for people handling urgent assignments but that they must obtain prior clearance.
Mandera County’s Treasury offices have been closed temporarily as a member of staff has tested positive for Covid-19.
Mr Alinoor Mohamed Ali, the Accounting and Finance Chief Officer, wrote a memo to staff, saying the offices will remain closed for 14 days.
"It has [come] to our attention that a new officer among those undergoing induction has tested positive," he said. "The premises shall remain closed to cut the chain of transmission and allow fumigation.”
Mr Ali said limited access will be allowed to people handling urgent assignments but that they must obtain prior clearance.
All Treasury staff were asked to self-quarantine at home for the two weeks and work remotely.
They were also told to seek medical attention should they exhibit symptoms of the disease, including a fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhoea, headache, loss of the senses of taste or smell and body aches.
County statistics
The virus was first confirmed in Kenya on March 13 and in Mandera in April.
A testing laboratory was launched in the county last week, easing the burden of transporting samples to Nairobi and waiting days for the results to be released.
Since September 26, when the Covid-19 Molecular Laboratory started operating, 90 samples have been analysed, bring the total number of tested samples from the county to 944.
The county has recorded 68 cases of the virus, including 32 recoveries and two deaths.
Governor’s plea
There are 306 isolation beds across the county, which recently recruited more medical personnel, trained all staff and procured enough supplies and equipment for response to the pandemic, Governor Roba said.
Meanwhile, Governor Ali Roba has called for vigilance and more community interventions to contain the virus.
"We will double prevention efforts as students have been allowed to go back to school. Covid-19 is still a threat that we should not downplay," he said.
Mr Roba said he is worried that people gathering at places of worship have become less vigilant by not observing physical distancing, failing to wear masks and using shared prayer mats.
“It is in your best interests to maintain high levels of personal protection," he told the public and urged them to get tested.
