New Covid-19 variant not in Kenya, CS Kagwe says; private sector free to import vaccines

By Ben Kirira,

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS)Mutahi Kagwe has dispelled rumours that the new coronavirus variant is in the country.

The new Covid-19 variant has been circulating in South Africa and is already the dominant virus variant in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces, the BBC reported yesterday.

The SA variant carries a mutation called E484K.

Speaking on Wednesday in Nyeri County, CS Kagwe told Kenyans that the new variant has not been found in Kenya.

He assured the public that vaccines will arrive in the country by the second week of February.

The CS said that health workers and teachers will be among the first recipients of the coronavirus vaccine.

In December 2020, Kenya ordered 24 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine by submitting a request to the Global Vaccine Alliance Initiative.

Kagwe also dispelled another rumour that some senior government officials have been vaccinated, terming the claims spurious.

However, the CS said the private sector is at will to import the proven vaccines.

"The private sector can begin acquisition of vaccines and we have not stopped them provided that the normal procedures are followed," Kagwe said.

Covid-19 infections

So far, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Kenya rose to 97,398 on Wednesday as 271 cases tested positive from a sample of 5,830 tested in the last 24 hours.

The Ministry of Health, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said from the 271 cases, 261 are Kenyans while 10 are foreigners.