An exceptional press conference at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to announce that in less than 24 hours the number of Coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 246.
Kenya's Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe confirmed that another 12 people tested positive for the virus out of 450 swabs taken since yesterday, Thursday 16 April.
"Although we have not yet reached the end of the day - explained Kagwe - we already have 12 cases of Covid-19. Some of them were the result of our search for direct contact with other positives, while five of them are employees of a hotel.
"We are implementing the capacity and speed of research and analysis so that the contacts of patients who tested positive can be traced and tested as soon as possible to control the spread of the pandemic - added the Minister - for this we have activated direct synergies with the Minister of Transport James Macharia and Kenya Airways to have collaboration in the transport of equipment necessary to help in the fight against the Coronavirus".
Kagwe was at the airport for this very reason, together with other government officials, including the Minister of Interior and National Security Fred Matiang'i.
"This morning I met with the Minister of Health and the Minister of Transport on the occasion of the arrival in Nairobi of a shipment of medical equipment - explained the same Matiang'i - We thank Kenya Airways for having facilitated the transport of these much needed tools. Let me remind the Kenyans that while the Kenyan government continues its work of prevention and organization for the containment of the Covid-19 virus, the success or failure of the "mission" depends on all of us. The call is increasingly to stay at home, wash your hands, practice social distance, wear a mask every time you go out".
The arrival of new equipment in Kenya should coincide with the increase in the possibility of swabs throughout the country, as President Kenyatta recalled in his speech to the nation on Thursday, April 16.