The 3 types of Covid-19 in Kenya - DG Patrick Amoth explains

March 23, 2021 5:23 PM

Dr Amoth breaks down Covid-19 strains in Kenya

Ministry of Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth during a recent Covid-19 briefing

Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth on Tuesday elaborated on the various types of Covid-19 strains in the Kenyan population.

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Dr Amoth explained that the strains were identified after a rigorous process of genomic sequencing.

"Viruses mutate all the time and that's what they do.

"We currently have three variants of concern, the B117 or the UK variant and it is also called 501Y.V1, number two is 501Y.V2 or B13151 which is the South African variant and the third is P1 or the Brazilian variant," Dr Amoth explained.

He went on to elaborate that the majority of South African variant infections have occurred on Kenya's border with Tanzania.

The DG added that only the UK and South African variants have been detected in the majority of samples tested though they have not established community transmission.

He went on to state that further genomic sequencing tests are ongoing at the Regional Genomic Sequencing Centre at the KeMRI Welcome Trust in Kilifi County.