70 Kenyans Have Died Of COVID-19 With Over 900 Positive Infections

It is 70 Kenyans that have died of COVID-19 and more than 900 positive cases confirmed according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which yesterday revealed that thirty have died of the virus in foreign countries.

The 30 Kenyan COVID-19 deaths, according to the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Rachael Omamo, were recorded in the United States, Italy, Sweden, France, and South Africa.

CS Omamo also told the Senate Committee that he COVID-19 situation had seen 193 Kenyans get infected in several foreign countries that they had visited either to study, work or live in.

CS Rachael Omamo told the senate committee that there are 88 active cases overseas with four in the Intensive Care Unit with a more positive side being that 78 Kenyans had recovered of COVID-19 abroad.

“This is what has been reported to us and it may not be a reflection on the ground. Registration with foreign missions abroad is voluntary and the information we are getting is evolving and may not be complete,” Omamo said.

The 70 Kenyans that have died of COVID-19 are therefore 30 in the country and 40 in the diaspora with infection cases in foreign countries raising numbers of Kenyans who are positive with COVID-19 to more than 900.

CS Omamo said the Foreign Affairs ministry had faced a number of challenges in its efforts to assist Kenyans who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in foreign countries including the shutting down of air spaces by several countries and restriction of movement of people globally.

“The committee is engaging other countries on issues of quarantine, humanitarian assistance, and resource mobilization,” CS Omamo said.

The committee dealing with matters regarding people abroad is being chaired by Foreign Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary Ababu Namwamba and regularly reviews the COVID-19 situation according to CS Omamo.

“The committee regularly reviews the situation in various parts of the world and recommends action to be taken,” Omamo said adding that limited resources were hampering the Ministry’s efforts to assist those abroad.

“The country is also faced with other issues that need immediate attention like the spread of locusts, raging floods, and terrorism. All this has to be taken into account,” CS Omama said.

CS Omamo noted that Kenyans were living in literally each and every country in the World which made it a challenge to keep track of all of them during this COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are those who are citizens in other countries. This group can, therefore, access health services where they are and most have valid work permits,” CS Omamo said adding that the mInistry was reaching out to countries to extend Visas and working permits.

“We reach out to other nations asking them to extend visas and work permits.  We also have been giving stipends to those who are completely stranded, like those in Wuhan, China. Another intervention is assistance to those who wish to return home at their own cost,” Omamo said.

As it currently stands, the number of Kenyan citizens that have died of COVID-19 cannot be said to be 40 but 70 and the infections over 900 as though in a further country, Kenyans in the diaspora are loved and missed by their loved ones here in the country.

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