COVID-19: Worry as 15 more persons test positive for deadly Indian variant in Kenya

The number of persons with the Indian Covid-19 variant has risen to 20 after 15 out of the 18 people who were screened at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) tested positive for the deadly strain.

Five out of those 20 cases were detected in Kisumu last week where a group of Indian expatriates landed to undertake a fertiliser project in Kibos area after a flight connection from Nairobi.

Health Chief Administrative secretary, Dr. Rashid Aman confirmed on Wednesday that results from further analysis of the samples taken from the visitors at JKIA on May 2, revealed that the 15 were positive of the new variant.

“A further analysis of the tests performed on 17 of the 18 cases screened at JKIA during arrival from India has shown that 15 of them are positive for the new variant. They are all safely under isolation,” Aman said indicating that they are not symptomatic and therefore no need for hospitalization.

Acting director general of Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth however, said the variant is not a big threat and maintained that it is important for people to get vaccinated.

“Even if it is one dose, we are emphasising that people should be vaccinated because the vaccine give 70/100 percent protection from the severity of the disease,” he said as the Council of Governors earlier indicated that 70 more people who might have come into contact with the five positive cases in Kisumu, had successfully been traced and placed under isolation.

Council Chairman, Martin Wambora told journalists at Delta House, CoG headquarters that the contact tracing was done swiftly and easy because contact details of the persons in question had been recorded on arrival at JKIA.