Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi contracts Covid-19, in isolation

Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi has tested positive for Covid-19, the county's Health executive Misheck Mutuma announced Friday.

Mr Mutuma said the county boss, who took the test last week, is isolating at his home in Nairobi County.

“He has been advised to self-isolate. He is okay ... he is doing very well. He will be back [to work] after a few days," Mr Mutuma said.

The Health executive said that by Friday, the county had at least 137 active Covid-19 cases, 79 of them of people in the home-based care programme.

While warning residents against dropping their guard, he said "this third wave is strong so you should take all the precautionary measures given by the Ministry of Health".

"The number of cases rises every day," he said.

Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu said Mr Murungi was being observed by doctors.

"He is not in danger," he said.

Earlier on Friday, one of the governor's aides said he had spoken to him and that he did not have any difficulties.

"I spoke to him this morning and he was okay," the official said.

Governor vaccinated

Mr Murungi's diagnosis comes more than a week after he took the Covid-19 vaccine jab.

He was the first one to be vaccinated in the county on March 8 and said he was leading by example.

The Health ministry says the vaccine doesn’t mean one cannot get or transmit Covid-19.

"It makes your immune system alert and primes it for the fight against the virus. It prevents severe cases of Covid-19, reducing the number of cases throughout the country," Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi told the press in Friday's briefing.

She said those vaccinated must still adhere to anti-virus measures.

When the governor took the jab, he warned politicians against speaking ill of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, following its rollout in the country and suspensions in others, especially in Europe, for reasons including links to blood clots.

“We urge all the frontline workers to take the vaccine. It will be available to all health workers in private and public facilities. The vaccine has undergone elaborate research so those discouraging Kenyans from taking it should stop,” he said.

He was accompanied by top health officials from the county, including county assembly Health committee chair Martin Mworia. They were all vaccinated on that day.

Meru has received 6,000 vaccine doses and is targeting at least 3,000 health workers and security officers in the first round. The repeat dose will be administered after eight months.