Kenyan student who recently landed from China which Coronavirus-related symptoms may take some time before he gets test results. Experts drawn from Health sector on Wednesday lamented how it was impossible handling the tests locally, now that the infection was new.
The new infection whose origin can be traced from Wuhan City in China is yet to have its test kits assembled in Kenya. Samples drawn from the student at JKIA upon arrival, have been sent to South Africa National Virology centre according to Health Ministry reports on Tuesday.
Lancet Group of Laboratories East Africa Chief Executive Officer and Chief Consultant pathologist Dr. Ahmed Kalebi noted that despite Kenyan government being able to handle the infection, external help was also necessary to establish whether or not the student is a victim.
"Not even Lancet South Africa or any other lab there have set up to do the test because it's a new virus, but I think the National Institute of Virology in South Africa has started doing the test this week...
"While the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) may have the capacity to investigate, this is totally a new virus and we will take longer to set up the testing services and so we might have to wait for up to 96 hours for the results," said Dr. Ahmed.
Despite the government remaining dump over the suspect's status, an anonymous attendant from Kenyatta National Hospital said that the patient's condition was stable.
With the disease fast spreading worldwide, countries are said to be highly alert about the condition. Airports and other entry points have reportedly established checkpoints in attempts to screen all people jetting in.
Already death toll is shooting high as other nations are resolving to evacuate their citizens from China, as well as suspending flight operations to and from China.
Kenya has though stood its grounds that she won't recall her citizens from China, and neither will she cancel her flight operations to and from the Coronavirus infested nation.