Learners will undergo random Covid-19 tests in schools to monitor the infection rate, Ministry of Helath has said.

Health CAS Rashid Aman said yesterday the Ministry of Health will conduct the tests in schools cause majority of the cases in children are mostly asymptomatic.

Dr Aman said while there are already laid out protocols on how symptomatic cases should be handled in a school environment, the challenge is among children who are sick but show no symptoms.

Aman ,during the daily Covid-19 update, said this will require some form of monitoring from the ministry.

“We will be required to do some level of testing to see whether there is infection among asymptomatic cases,” he said.

Up to 93 per cent of Covid-19 cases are asymptomatic.

Yesterday, 318 more people tested positive for the virus raising the total number of cases to 41,937.

10 more people also died raising fatalities to 787.

So far, 31,340 people have recovered from the disease.

“The risk of children spreading the virus as thought earlier is not as bad as what was considered before,” he said. “But we will have to closely monitor and take appropriate action that will be deemed fit at that time.”

Over three million learners have reported back to school across the country following the directive by the government on resumption of studies. Speaking separately, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said yesterday the government has mobilised over 1.7 million face masks to distribute to learners.

Schools partially reopened on Monday with Standard Eight, Grade Four and Form Four learners reporting back, six months after their closure following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Learners will undergo random Covid-19 tests in schools to monitor the infection rate, Ministry of Helath has said.

Health CAS Rashid Aman said yesterday the Ministry of Health will conduct the tests in schools cause majority of the cases in children are mostly asymptomatic.

Dr Aman said while there are already laid out protocols on how symptomatic cases should be handled in a school environment, the challenge is among children who are sick but show no symptoms.

Aman ,during the daily Covid-19 update, said this will require some form of monitoring from the ministry.

“We will be required to do some level of testing to see whether there is infection among asymptomatic cases,” he said.

Up to 93 per cent of Covid-19 cases are asymptomatic.

Yesterday, 318 more people tested positive for the virus raising the total number of cases to 41,937.

10 more people also died raising fatalities to 787.

So far, 31,340 people have recovered from the disease.

“The risk of children spreading the virus as thought earlier is not as bad as what was considered before,” he said. “But we will have to closely monitor and take appropriate action that will be deemed fit at that time.”

Over three million learners have reported back to school across the country following the directive by the government on resumption of studies. Speaking separately, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said yesterday the government has mobilised over 1.7 million face masks to distribute to learners.

Schools partially reopened on Monday with Standard Eight, Grade Four and Form Four learners reporting back, six months after their closure following the Covid-19 outbreak.