Health CS denies Covid-19 wave, attributes flu symptoms to cold season
The Ministry of Health has refuted claims of a new wave of Covid-19 in the country, insisting that the recent flu-like symptoms experienced by some people are due to the cold season and not the coronavirus.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha addressed the issue on Monday night (June 12), urging the public to take the necessary precautions against the flu.
“From our surveillance, we have not yet seen an increase in Covid that we can report to the country and tell them to take corrective action,” CS Nakhumicha said.
She, however, stressed the importance of protecting oneself against the flu by getting vaccinated, which is readily available at most health facilities nationwide.
Her press conference came hours after the Nation published the story ‘Hospitals struggle to provide oxygen as Covid-19 cases rise’.
According to the story, published on 12 June 2023, a number of Kenyans have recently tested positive for the virus, with many experiencing severe symptoms that require oxygen therapy to enable them to breathe.
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While urging people to take preventive measures such as avoiding touching their mouth, nose and eyes, Nakhumicha also stressed the importance of wearing face masks and practicing good hygiene by regularly washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitiser.
The reports of a possible Covid-19 resurgence come about a month after Kenya relaxed tourist restrictions and eased Covid-19 precautions.
The decision followed the World Health Organization’s declaration that the disease was no longer a global health emergency.
“It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that the end of the emergency does not mean that COVID is over as a global health threat.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, reached Kenya in March 2020, with a significant death toll of at least 5,000 people.
The Ministry of Health continues to monitor the situation closely and advises the public to remain vigilant while focusing on protecting themselves from seasonal illnesses such as influenza.
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