26 seafarers quarantined after testing positive for Covid
Some 26 seafarers, including their captain, were quarantined aboard a ship in Mombasa on Wednesday after testing positive for Covid-19.
The sailors, who are of different nationalities, arrived in Kenya from Djibouti. Health officials took their samples for genome sequencing to ascertain the Covid-19 variant.
Port health officials said the crew will not be allowed out of the ship until they are certain of the variant they have.
“We are still testing people and the positive cases, who are crew members, have been isolated. We have taken samples and are waiting for the results, and if it's confirmed we will act appropriately,” said county Public Health Chief Officer Pauline Oginga.
She said the county is collaborating with the national government on the cases.
“With the help of the national government, we took the samples for genome sequencing and we're hoping to get results to rule out the Omicron variant,” she said.
“The challenges with ships is that they dock in different countries. Different countries have different rules.”
The new Covid-19 cases come as the government ramps up its surveillance at all points of entry after Kenya detected its first Omicron variant among three travellers who came through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) from South Africa.
The three, a South African and two Kenyans, are in isolation.
The government is also collaborating with its neighbouring East African countries, including Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan, to ensure they have a common position on handling the virus. BY DAILY NATION
Post a Comment