Dr Mwangangi: stop profiling Covid-19 patients
The government has warned Kenyans against profiling Covid-19 patients on social media.
Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi explained during the Ministry’s daily briefing that contracting the coronavirus is ‘not a crime’.
She explained: “We have seen people sharing videos and pictures of Covid-19 patients (on social media) leading to profiling. This is unacceptable. It is important to note that contracting the disease is not a crime. Anyone can get it.”
“Elevating stigma does not add value to the fight and ends up making out harder to contain the situation.”
The government has been reluctant to reveal identities of coronavirus patients, but this has not stopped a section of Kenyans from positing photos of patients in hospitals who are believed to ailing from the disease.
Mwangangi has also explained that the number of Covid-19 cases could continue to increase in the coming weeks, even as she urged Kenyans to ‘remain vigilant’ and practise the rules spelt out by government aimed at curbing the spread of this disease.