City Hall considering aerial fumigation to control coronavirus spread
Nairobi county government is mulling the use of aerial fumigation to help in the fight against the fast spread of the deadly coronavirus in the county.
Nairobi Health Services Executive Hitan Majevdia said this method will help to fumigate the entire county in a short period of time.
“The best and the fastest way to fumigate is through aerial fumigation. I will suggest this to my seniors to allows us do aerial spray in a day or two. This will drastically reduce the spread of the coronavirus,” said Majevdia.
This comes as Nairobi County has been confirmed as a hotspot for Covid-19 with 28 confirmed cases, and as Health CS Mutahi Kagwe revealed that all city estates have come into contact with those who tested positive for the virus.
At the same time, City Hall public health officials have intensified the fight against the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the county with the public screening and fumigation set to hit more sub-Counties.
County deputy director of Public Health Wilson Langat said they will on Monday head to Westlands and Embakasi East sub-Counties as the exercise enters its third week with more than 12, 500 residents already screened.
Langat explained that the target is to cover all the 17 sub-Counties, especially the densely populated areas.
“On Monday, the fumigation exercise enters week three and our team will head to Westlands and Embakasi East sub-Counties. We will try to cover almost all the 17 sub counties but our main target are the places where people gather in masses,” said Langat.
The public health officer said they will focus on areas around Malls and their environs in Westlands.
In the weekend, the public health officers in collaboration with the Ministry of Health fumigated busy streets and business premises at Eastleigh as well as Buruburu and Korogocho estates.
Several markets in Nairobi including Gikomba, Muthurwa, Burma, Wakulima and City Market have been fumigated.
This is in addition to public places such as Aga Khan Walk, General Post Office (GPO) bus stage, public resting areas around Hilton Hotel and National Archives, Kencom Bus Stage, Jeevanjee Gardens, Hakati Road, Tom Mboya Stage, Ronald Ngala Street and Mfangano Lane.
Meanwhile, governor Mike Sonko asked Nairobi residents and traders to cooperate with the health officers as they fumigate estates and markets to help reduce the spread of the virus while also encouraging them to stay at home.
“We have to ensure that all the stages, open air markets and public places are fumigated as we strive to speed up the spray of all estates in the county,” said Sonko.