The Nairobi Industrial Area Remand Prison has been locked down following a rise in the number of COVID-19 infections at the correctional facility.
Health CAS Dr. Rashid Aman made the announcement on Tuesday saying the prison will not receive any more remandees from Wednesday, October 7.
Dr Aman said the Ministry of Health has noted an increase in COVID-19 cases in Kenyan prisons, particularly in the Industrial Area Remand facility.
Of the 64 COVID-19 infections reported in Nairobi on Tuesday, 35 were from the Industrial Area Remand Prison.
“So with regard to what we have seen in the Nairobi Remand Prison, it has been directed that the Nairobi Remand Prison will cease to receive any remandees and it will be in a closed down mode,” said Dr. Aman.
‘This is to curtail the movement of persons in and out. This we hope will bring a break to the cycle of transmission.”
The CAS added: “This directive now stops remandees being transferred to that facility until such a time we can contain the situation.”
The Ministry further directed Prisons Department, The Police Service, and the court to coordinate and determine a framework that will reduce the movement of any person to the facility.
Dr Aman also asked Kenyans to avoid large political gatherings following an increase in the country’s positivity rate above 10 per cent.
“Our worry and concern is on the re-energized political frenzy sweeping the country and spear headed by our political leaders that could roll back all the gains we have made in curtailing the spread of this disease,” said the CAS.
The country recorded 137 new cases from a sample size of 1,258 samples bringing the number of cases recorded so far to 39,586.
“This will show you that our positivity rate for today is above 10%,” said Dr. Aman.
Eight more patients succumbed to the virus, bringing the country’s fatalities to 743. 296 more patients recovered from the virus bringing the total number of recoveries to 27,328.
