17 MPs, Senators Test Positive For Coronavirus

Seventeen members of parliament and senators have reportedly tested positive for the deadly Corona-virus after undergoing tests.

Health Cabinet Secretary Muthai Kagwe on Tuesday afternoon confirmed 14 more news cases, a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed 16 new cases on Monday afternoon.

The 17 MPs are said to spread between the cases that were confirmed on Monday and those that were confirmed on Tuesday.

50 members of parliament underwent tests after they reportedly interacted with Rabai Member of Parliament Kamoti Mwamkale who is among those who have been confirmed to have contracted that virus that’s first spreading across the globe.

Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that indeed the MPs had undergone tests after he shared the results of his test, which came out negative.

I have received my #COVID19 results and I am happy to report that the PCR INFECTION DISEASES SARS-COV-2 or #CoronaVirus were not detected. I encourage everyone who can to stay at home, maintain physical distance and wear a mask at all time.We shall triumph.I thank the good lord! pic.twitter.com/SXNL0UMrLC

— Sen. Ledama Olekina (@ledamalekina) April 7, 2020

Mwamkale is said to have contracted the virus after coming into contact with Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi who is said to have contacted the virus abroad. Saburi has since recovered from the virus but is currently in custody after he was arrested last week for failing to self-isolate.

Reports now indicate that more Members of Parliament and Senators have since been confirmed positive to the virus. The identities of the lawmakers who tested positive remain unknown but it is said that they are all those who came into contact with Kamoti.

So far 172 Corona-virus cases have been confirmed in the country. Six people have since succumbed to the deadly pandemic while 7 have fully recovered from it. High profile people who have contacted it in the country are Saburi and Mwamkale.

The government has since put in place measures to ensure that the virus doesn’t spread at an alarming rate. This includes a countrywide 7pm-5am curfew and banning travels into and from Nairobi Metropolitan region, Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale counties.

Across the globe, over 1.3 million people have been confirmed positive with over 70,000 deaths confirmed. The cure or vaccine for the virus is yet to be unearthed as the virus continues to spread like bush-fire.