100 People Quarantined in Kisumu After Interacting with Foreigners Diagnosed with Indian COVID-19 Variant

The Kisumu County government has quarantined at least 100 people over the Indian COVID-19 variant.

Kisumu Health CEC Prof. Boaz Otieno-Nyunya said the 100 came into contact with the eight foreigners who tested positive for the deadly and highly infectious coronavirus variant.

In a statement, the official said the eight have been confined and the county government has since stepped up surveillance to stop the spread of the virus.

“The County Government has confined at least 8 foreign nationals who tested positive to the Indian variant and is currently conducting an elaborate contact tracing to help stop the spread of the virus. All the 8, who were working at a local factory are suspected to have recently travelled from India,” he said.

“At least 100 other workers who are said to have had close contact with the 8 have been placed under strict quarantine as the county moves with speed to stop a further spread of the Virus.”

On Wednesday, Health director-general Dr. Patrick Amoth said five cases of the Indian variant had been detected in the country. He indicated that the five were Indian nationals working on a fertilizer plant in Kisumu.

"This variant has been picked in Kenya and because of connectivity, it was just a matter of time. You cannot be able to put barriers to prevent a virus from accessing your territory," said Amoth.

The devastating second COVID-19 wave in India has been blamed on the B.1.617 variant, which has seen the country’s caseload surge to more than 20 million.

On Thursday, India reported 412,262 new COVID-19 cases, a new single-day record.

The country also reported 3,980 COVID-19 related deaths, another new single-day record. The death toll now stands at 230,168.