Doctors are sounding the alarm over a notable increase in respiratory infections within the country, with some health experts linking this surge to a potential resurgence of COVID-19.
Kenya has identified a derivative of the Omicron variant, designated as JN.1, and has also detected the swine flu influenza virus in surveillance data obtained from positive COVID samples collected across the 14 counties in the Lake Region Economic Bloc.
Hospitals have reported Kenyans walking in with fevers, headaches and coughs. Tests have revealed some of the cases which were initially suspected to be flus and pneumonia have now tested positive for Covid-19.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized the JN.1 strain as a “variant of interest” due to its ability to evade the immune system and its potential for heightened transmission compared to other currently circulating variants.
Despite this classification, WHO has reassured that existing vaccines will continue to provide protection against severe illness and death caused by JN.1 and other circulating variants of the COVID-19 virus.
