Upper Eastern counties will no longer take samples from suspected Covid-19 patients to Nairobi following the approval of Isiolo Referral Hospital's laboratory as a testing centre.

"We are pleased to convey to you approval of the Isiolo Referral Hospital laboratory as a SARS Covid-19 testing site for Upper Eastern region," the letter from KMLTTB Registrar Abdulatif Ali reads.

Isiolo Heath Chief Officer Ibrahim Alio said officials from the board will from coming week train county health care workers before the services kick off.

Speaking to the Nation, Mr Alio said the county, with one Covid-19 case, will focus on mass testing in efforts to prevent spread of the deadly virus.

Some 23 people spread across the county who travelled in the same bus that the patient used from Isiolo town to his Garbatulla home have been quarantined bringing the total number of traced contacts to 48.