This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
A new report by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and the Wellcome Trust has raised concerns that over 2.7 million Kenyans may already have been exposed to Covid-19. The report, published on July 3, 2020, is based on a survey of 2,535 blood samples collected from various parts of the country.
The researchers used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test to detect antibodies in the blood samples, which can remain positive for months. According to the report, the test was validated and tested numerous times to ensure its accuracy.
The survey found that Nairobi County has the highest number of exposed residents, with an estimated 12.4% of its 4.5 million residents affected, translating to approximately 550,000 people. Other counties with significant numbers of exposed residents include Rift Valley, Nyanza, Central, Eastern, Western, and Coast.
However, the report notes that there is a significant gap between the number of confirmed cases and the number of exposed individuals. For instance, as of June 2, Kenya had recorded 6,941 cases with 152 fatalities, while the report estimates that approximately 6,684 deaths will be recorded with 26,093 people suffering from severe diseases.
The report warns that Kenyans should be prepared for severe cases of the disease, as large numbers of the population exposed would lead to significant numbers of severe cases and deaths. County hospitals are already monitoring for pneumonia, which has spiked from 137,667 in February 2020 to 195,504 in June 2020.
