Kenya launches coronavirus isolation facility

The Kenyan government has opened a quarantine centre in the capital, Nairobi, for suspected coronavirus cases.

The facility at Mbagathi District Hospital has been opened in the wake of public concern about the country’s preparedness to deal with a possible outbreak of the new strain of the virus, which causes the respiratory disease Covid-19.

The facility has 120 beds in the isolation wards and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that can hold 10 patients.

It is completely separated from the rest of the hospital to ensure limited contact with suspected cases.

Officials say they are also stocking face masks, beds and thermometers as part of measures to combat any spread of the coronavirus.

Kenya has not reported a confirmed case of the virus but has enhanced surveillance at all entry points, including airports and border towns.

All international conferences and meetings have been cancelled for the next one month.

The country has also banned flights from Iran and South Korea, in addition to an earlier ban on flights from northern Italy and China, in a bid to stop a spread of infections from countries already battling the highly contagious coronavirus.