Meru Law Courts shut for 7 days after a staff member succumbed to Covid-19

Meru Law Courts was yesterday effectively shut for 7 days after a staff member who worked in the civil registry of the High Court succumbed to Covid-19.

The acting Chief Justice, Philomena Mwilu said the decision was reached after the Presiding Judge of the High Court in Meru held an urgent Courts Users Committee meeting over the COVID-19 outbreak within the premises.

“Their recommendations as communicated to my office were that the court station be temporarily closed with immediate effect,” she said.

Mwilu said there was a high probability that there was general interaction with the affected person and therefore a high potential for exposure and the spread of the virus.

“The Civil Registry is a busy registry with a high volume of file movement and
extensive interactions between staff, as well as between staff and our clients and
court users. There is a high probability that there was general interaction with the
affected person,” the statement issued noted.

She said the closure would enable personnel at the station to undergo a mass testing exercise on Monday and facilitate a fumigation exercise scheduled for Tuesday.

During the period of closure, all urgent matters for the Magistrates’ Courts at Meru Law Courts shall be directed to Githongo, Tigania and Nkubu Law Courts.

“All urgent matters for the ELC at Meru shall be directed to the ELC at
Embu. All urgent matters for the High Court at Meru shall be directed to the
High Courts at Embu and Nanyuki,” she added.

Separately, Kwale County Assembly was also closed for two weeks after positive cases of Covid-19 were reported among some Members of County Assembly (MCA) and other staff.

The news was confirmed by the Speaker Sammy Ruwa who revealed that the Assembly will be sanitized and disinfected during the temporary closure.

He said the closure is a precaution to stop further spread of the virus.