'Coronavirus has infected 72 Kenyan healthcare workers'

NAIROBI, Kenya

As many as 72 Kenyan healthcare workers have so far tested positive for the novel coronavirus, authorities announced Tuesday.

“[Some] 72 frontline healthcare workers have contracted the virus from different environments [...] of these 19 are currently being treated in different health facilities,” Dr. Rashid Aman, Kenya's chief administrative secretary for health, told a media briefing.

He commended the healthcare providers, saying that the risk of infection has not undermined their commitment to duty.

“I want to thank them for their dedication and devotion to serve Kenyans even in the face of being infected," Aman said.

The East African country recorded a further 127 virus cases from a test pool of 2,247 samples over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 2,989. The cumulative number of recoveries stands at 873.

It is currently under lockdown but the government has relaxed the dusk-to-dawn curfew after relative success against the outbreak.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on June 6 extended the curfew by 30 days but shifted the time from 7 p.m. - 5 a.m. (1600GMT - 0200GMT) to 9 p.m. - 4 a.m. (1800GMT - 0100GMT), enabling Kenyans to work for a full day.

He also extended the travel ban in worst-affected towns.