Kenya Reports First Cases of Omicron Variant

Three travelers who recently arrived in Kenya from South Africa have tested positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe says the three Omicron cases, the first in the country, were detected at the airport.

The three patients including two Kenyans and one South African national are currently in quarantine.

"We have detected the Omicron variant particularly among travelers [at] the airports and so it's just a matter of time before it becomes dominant worldwide," Kagwe said on Wednesday.

Kagwe, who was addressing the Council of Governors in Mombasa, insists that the government will not lock down the country.

He says authorities in countries where the variant is dominant have confirmed that it is spreading very fast.

"When you go to a pub and you are five at a table and one has the variant, chances are you will all walk out of there with the virus. However, the only saving grace is a lot of people are not getting severe illnesses; it’s mild with fever," he said.

"Our experts are still debating the issue, observing and sequencing in our labs to see what kind of variant we have. Variants will come and go.”

Not much is known about the fast-spreading Omicron variant, including its incubation period. The variant believed to have originated from South Africa carries a large number of mutations that make it more transmissible and less susceptible to existing vaccines.