Kenya on Wednesday, January 20 recorded two cases of the highly infectious coronavirus variant that was first recorded in South Africa.
The two were part of the new 136 positive Covid-19 cases recorded in the Eastern Africa country in 24 hours, bringing the country’s total caseload to 99,444.
Acting Health Director-General Patrick Amoth said the two cases of the new Covid-19 mutation were discovered by scientists in Kilifi. Both were foreigners who travelled back to their respective countries as advised by the Ministry of Health(MoH).
Dr Amoth noted that the new variant is 50 percent more transmissible hence poses a greater risk to Kenyan citizens.
During the daily covid briefing on Wednesday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said 3,787 samples had been tested, bringing the country’s total tests conducted to 1,134,494.
Of the 136 new infections, 85 are male, and 51 are female.
176 patients recovered from the disease, with 162 under the Home-Based Care Program, while 14 were discharged from various hospitals. The total recoveries rose to 82,654.
686 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities across the country and another 1,625 placed on Home Based Isolation and Care.
Two patients succumbed to the virus bringing the total fatalities to 1,736.
