Tolgos aide tests positive for Covid-19 as governors fear increasing laxity in control measures

A senior aide to Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos has tested positive for Covid-19.

The aide, who was not identified, had been staying in Nairobi, a Covid-19 hot spot, and then travelled to Eldoret where he decided to get tested before returning home.

The results were positive and he is isolated in Eldoret where he is recovering.

The officer had not interacted with any county official and had used private means to travel to Eldoret. Elgeyo Marakwet has recorded four cases of Covid-19.

The eight governors in the North Rift have expressed concern, meanwhile, over residents’ increasing laxity in complying with control protocols as cases rise.

County commissioners in the region said they would strictly enforce all measures to control the spread of the coronavirus.

“There is increasing laxity among residents and many people are now taking the situation as normal yet we are recording increasing infections in our region,” Uasin Gishu county commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa said.

He said many residents were not wearing face masks consistently and properly. A business-as-usual attitude is likely to cause a surge in infections, Jaldesa said.

The eight counties in the North Rift Economic Bloc (Noreb) have recorded more than 423 cases, with Uasin Gishu having 301 cases, Turkana 74 cases, while Trans Nzoia and Nandi have 17 cases each.

Baringo has 10 cases, Elgeyo Marakwet has four while Samburu and West Pokot have one case each.

Jaldesa said teams had been formed to ensure all bars as shut down as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta. “The order is total closure and we will ensure its full closure. No one will be allowed to joke around by operating underground,” Jaldesa said.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, who chairs Noreb, said this week governors would met to review enforcement of control measures. They aim to align them with economic recovery strategies.

“We must ensure we work on the economic recovery as we comply with control measures,” Mandago said. Each sector will have additional control measures ensuring work continues under safe conditions.

“The agriculture, business and matatu sectors are among those we will focus on to ensure work continues with strict adherence to Covid-19 control measures,” the governor said.

Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba also urged residents not to relax on adherence to control measures because the disease was spreading within the community.

All health workers at the Uasin Gishu County Referral Hospital underwent testing after four of them had tested positive, causing panic at the facility.

Uasin Gishu Health executive Everlyne Rotich said services at the facility had returned to normal and those found positive would be isolated.