Two people with a high fever have been quarantined in Kenya’s capital Nairobi while a third person is isolated in a hospital in the coastal region over fears of the coronavirus. The precautionary measures was taken as a deadly coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, has left more than 300 people dead so far and thousands infected.
One of the travellers quarantined in Nairobi is from Beijing and took a Kenya Airways flight in Dubai, while the other arrived from China aboard a China Southern Airlines plane.
Early on Sunday, a female medical student from Southern Medical University in Guangzhou was admitted at the Coast General Hospital after she exhibited signs of the virus infection.
The student, who arrived on Thursday, is in a private room at the Rehemtullah Ward, Mombasa County Chief Health Officer Khadija Shikely said.
Previous Suspected Cases of Coronavirus in Kenya
Last week, Kenya reported its first suspected case of coronavirus infection in a student who travelled via Kenya Airways.
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The unnamed student, in his early 20s, left Wuhan for Zhangjiajie City on January 20, travelled to Nairobi through Guangzhou in China and Bangkok in Thailand on January 27 and landed at the JKIA in Nairobi, Kenya on January 28.
He was put in isolation at KNH. Health Cabinet Secretary reported on January 31 that tests validated in South Africa showed the student did not have the virus.
More details on the outbreak
Since emerging out of the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, the coronavirus has infected nearly 14,500 people across China and has reached 24 countries.
Many of the infections overseas have been of people who had travelled from Wuhan, an industrial hub of 11 million people, or surrounding areas of the Hubei province.
Meanwhile, China’s central bank announced that it would pump 1.2 trillion yuan ($173 bln) into the economy as it ramps up support for a nationwide fight against a deadly virus.
Kenya Airways the flag carrier airline of Kenya has suspended all flights to and from China to ensure the safety of their passengers and staffs. Kenya Airways is not the only airline that has suspended its flights to the Asian country; RwandAir and Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc have suspended flights to and from China.
Several other carriers based outside of Africa including British Airways have also suspended flights to the region as coronavirus continues to spread globally.
