The county government of Kisumu has quarantined 100 workers who came into close contact with 8 people that tested positive for the Indian covid variant.
On Wednesday 8 foreigners tested positive for the Indian covid variant dubbed the B.1.617 and the county government is currently doing contact tracing.
"Following gene sequencing carried out on samples by the National government testing laboratories, it has been ascertained that one of the samples turned positive for the Indian variant of Covid-19," the presser read
"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," it added.
Director General of Health Patrick Amoth said the five people are Indan nationals who work at a fertiliser plant in Kisumu County.
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"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," Dr Amoth said.
"We picked this from a sample of Indian travellers who are doing some work in the western part of Kisumu. We have gone ahead together with the Kisumu county health team to do contact tracing," he added.
India is experiencing the worst surge of Covid-19 after the B.1.617 variant was directed in the country that has reported more than 20 million cases.
As part of measures to curb the spread of the Indian variant, Kenya suspended flights to and from India. Kenyans on social media raised an issue with the national carrier operating in the country that is highly affected by coronavirus.
