A new virus spreading in China threatens to make its way into Kenya given the tight relations the two countries enjoy.
The virus, famous as the Coronavirus has led to increased checks on fever in airports to ensure an imminent big outbreak is avoided as the World stands on high alert.
Kenya flies to China’s Guangzhou twice a week and has tight ties to the Asian country owing to its improved infrastructure to the Country.
In 2019, Kenya welcomed 2,048,834 Chinese, numbers that continue rising which places Kenya at a very high rate of exposure leaving questions on why the Ministry of Health is yet to issue an alert.
Yesterday, January 22nd, 2020, nine people had died of the Coronavirus as the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was considering declaring an international public health emergency over the Coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus, a human to the human transferred virus has spread to three other Asian countries and infected more than 200 people.
The Coronavirus has genetic similarities to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003 hence the tension.
Kenyan authorities are yet to be seen or felt to implement screening points at international entry points with corruption expected to frustrate the process of ensuring the Coronavirus does not find its way in Kenya.
Countries such as Australia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and the US have enhanced screening measures including fever checks which have been set up at airports.
The Coronavirus has already made its way to Japan, Thailand, and South Korea.
In China alone, 440 people have already been infected with the Coronavirus as the officials try different methods to protect healthcare specialists from catching the virus.
Symptoms of the coronavirus include:
- Coughing
- Fever
- Respiratory tightness
- Shortness of breath.
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