Good news for Kenya as Covid19 fourth wave appears to be fading away

It’s good news for Kenya as Covid19 fourth wave appears to be stuttering with reducing caseloads in Lake Victoria and Western Kenya hotspots where enforcement of mitigation measures were heightened. Also, the curve in Nairobi and it’s environs (which are usually the biggest surge driver) remains petered out.

There has been a much welcomed reduction in the 7-day rolling average for daily new cases nationally despite the level of testing being almost the same as during the 3rd wave. The test positivity rate though remains a concern hovering at around 10% making it very important to watch out for spikes in the positivity rates in individual counties in order to take proactive steps for localized enforcement of heightened measures in any emerging hotspots.

It will make a huge difference in fighting the the Covid19 pandemic for Kenya if the promised huge consignment of J&J vaccine can be administered sooner rather than later, particularly targeting and prioritizing the most vulnerable in society. Meanwhile the time to remain extra vigilant in mitigating any surges and averting new hotspots is NOW.

It would be most prudent for powers-that-be at various levels of national and county governments together with the citizenry particularly those in positions of authority within the society to be more vigilant right now in mitigating the Covid19 fourth wave instead of waiting for it to surge to a terrible new peak.

Of utmost importance is the testing within and monitoring of positivity rates by individual counties and specific urban zones watching out for spikes in the respective geographical areas in order to take proactive steps for localized enforcement of heightened measures within any emerging hotspots to avert surges.

Ahmed Kalebi is a consultant pathologist and award-winning trailblazing entrepreneur