Corona Virus

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been in self-isolation after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, said Farhan Haq, his deputy spokesman.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 1 – Regional health officials have officially unveiled the Eastern Africa Regional Collaborating Centre (EA-RCC) in a move aimed at stepping up the fight against emerging and re-emerging disease threats in the region.

The centre to be based in Kenya has been operating within the Africa Centers for Disease Control (CDC) framework with an objective to ensure effective preparedness and response to current public health threats in the context of COVID 19 and beyond.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 1- Kenya recorded 152 new COVID-19 infections Monday, raising cases in the country to 106,125 ahead of vaccines arrival.

The country was expected to receive the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday to start vaccinating healthcare workers and others on the frontline like security forces.

“We expect vaccines on Tuesday,” said Mutahi Kagwe, Health Cabinet Secretary who urged the public to remain vigilant and observe protocols issued by the ministry.

Johannesburg, South Africa, March 1 – South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday said the country will start relaxing coronavirus restrictions, moving from alert level three down to level one, after a “dramatic decline” in infections.

The easing of the measures, due to begin at midnight, will see most economic activity resume as the country moves to rebuild its virus-shattered economy. 

[Additional reporting by Njoki Kihiu in Nairobi].

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 28 – Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said on Sunday that the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in the country on Tuesday even as 325 new infections were recorded.

The new cases were detected from a sample size of 3,282 raising the total caseload in the country to 105, 973.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 27 – Kenya recorded 181 COVID-19 cases on Saturday marking a 3.2 per cent positivity rate compared to 5 per cent reported on Friday and 6 per cent on Thursday.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the new cases were identified from 5, 577 samples which were tested from Friday.

Kenya has so far conducted 1, 295, 556 tests since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.

Nairobi County produced the majority of the new infections after posting 104 cases followed by Kiambu which had 20 cases.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 26 – The Ministry of Health on Friday reported 410 new COVID-19 cases detected from 7,180 samples.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe pointed out that 368 of the new cases were reported among Kenyans while 42 were foreigners among them 276 males and 134 females.

The CS further said that a year-old and an 83-year-old were among the new cases.

He announced that 6 more patients had succumbed to the virus, raising fatalities to 1,853.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone Feb 25 – Sierra Leone on Thursday received a consignment of 200,000 doses of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China to support the country’s vaccination campaign.

Health authorities in Sierra Leone said the vaccine will “play an important role in preventing and containing the COVID-19 in the country.”

According to the authorities, the vaccine comes at a time when the Sierra Leone government is planning to vaccinate about 1.6 million vulnerable people.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 26 – The Cabinet on Thursday ratified a COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan with the first batch of the vaccines expected into the country within the first week of March.

The Cabinet during its first sitting this year, resolved that the first group to be vaccinated will include health care workers and frontline workers among them security personnel and teachers, vulnerable persons and those in working in the hospitality industry.

MAPUTO, Zimbabwe, Feb 25 – A batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by China arrived here on Wednesday to help the African country fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was also the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines received by the country.