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Two Communications Authority staffers test positive for virus

Two employees of the Communications Authority of Kenya have tested positive for Covid-19.

Two employees of the Communications Authority of Kenya have tested positive for Covid-19

The two employees, who are currently receiving medical attention, were on leave and had no contact with other staff at the CA offices.

Acting Director General Mercy Wanjau on Thursday said the two are responding well to treatment.

"The tracing and testing of the people they came into contact with, including their families, is on-going," she said.

She added that unless it's extremely necessary to visit their offices, customers are encouraged to interact with them electronically via info@ca.go.ke.

The acting DG said that licence fees and other payments should be made to their bank accounts or through mobile money platforms indicated in the respective invoices.

"All guests visiting the CA offices must observe the Ministry of Health Covid-19 protocols," she said.

Covid-19 has cut a devastating swath through government offices in Nairobi, forcing many of them into lockdown and curtailing services.

The Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs headquarters has been completely shut down for 10 days after one employee died of Covid-19 complications.

Scores in the same ministry are self-isolating after testing positive.

The Civil Service is one of the hardest-hit institutions in the country.

The Public Service Commission says 35 per cent of national government employees are aged between 51 and 60 years. Few younger people have been recruited and 'young people' account for only 17.4 per cent.

Telecommunications Principal Secretary Esther Koimett said the staff will resume work on July 27, only if the situation improves. 

She said one staff member at the Teleposta Towers headquarters died of the virus while subsequent tests revealed other staff are infected. 

The entire Teleposta Towers in Nairobi's Central Business District will be fumigated this Saturday, including the ministry's other offices at Postbank,  Uchumi House and its field offices. 

The wave of infections is severely restricting access to services, including processing of retirement benefits at Treasury where 20 per cent of all staff are sick with the novel coronavirus. 

Treasury Principal Secretary Amos Gathecha says everyone at the ministry will be tested.  

The virus has ratcheted up stress and disrupted work across government offices, where workers older than 58 years were already directed to work from home.

Work is nearly impossible because most government documents are not digitised. 

The World Health Organization says older people face a significant risk of developing severe illness if they contract Covid-19.

This is due to physiological changes that come with ageing and to potential underlying health conditions.

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