Experts Fear New Covid-19 Variants May Spread in Kenya

The Ministry of Health has reportedly ordered county governments and port services to improve on the capacity at laboratories for specimen collection, shipment and timely confirmation, amid growing concerns at the number of Covid-19 cases, despite a flattening of the curve in recent months. "In the event that new variants are detected, devolved governments should be in a position to handle them," the ministry added. A British military base in Nanyuki was placed on lockdown on February 8, 2021 when fears spread that soldiers who arrived in the country might have been carriers of the new variant. Covid-19 cases and deaths are surging in Africa as new, more contagious variants of the virus spread to more countries. The 501Y.V2 variant, first detected in South Africa, appears to have led the second wave there. Besides Kenya, it has also been found in Botswana, Ghana, the French Indian Ocean region of Mayotte, Zambia and in 24 non-African nations, according to the World Health Organisation. As of February 12, 2021 Kenya has recorded 39,911 Covid-19 cases, 84,790 recoveries and 1,794 deaths.