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Kenya Records Surge in Covid-19 Cases With 11.5pc Positivity Rate

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4 years ago

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Nairobi — The Ministry of Health has raised concerns over increased COVID-19 cases in the country, amid global fears of the Omicron variant.

Even though the new variant has not been confirmed in the country, Acting Director General at the Ministry of Health Patrick Amoth said the COVID-19 positivity rate had hit 11.5 per cent.

“We have noticed the curve going up in the past one week from one percent to 6.5 per cent yesterday. So that is a warning sign to us so that we can go back to the drawing board to ensure that we continue to adhere to the public health social measures but more importantly that all who are eligible get vaccinated,” he said.

The high rate was posted after months of a below 5 per cent rate that led to the lifting of the night curfew and other restrictions, including re-opening bars and restaurants.

The latest statistics show that 331 more people had tested positive from the virus, increasing the caseload in the country to 256,815.

Kenya had vaccinated 8.2 million people by mid November against a target 10 million by December.

Amoth stated that the country can simply avert more stringent measures if citizens take the jab and observe the health guidelines in place.

His remarks came in the wake of the spread of the Omicron variant across the globe.

On Monday, the UK reported the first Omicron death in the world from the COVID-19 variant despite indications by WHO that the variant was weaker than Delta which preceded it.

Like many countries, Kenya is tightening measures and encouraging more people to get vaccinated and had already warned that unvaccinated people will be denied services in some government departments from December 21.