Kenyan opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has tested positive for COVID-19.
The 76-year-old politician and businessman was admitted at Nairobi hospital earlier this week.
Odinga said in a statement that his health status was proven following the “numerous and complicated tests” on him for the last two days.
“While the tests were several, one important result, which I have authorised the doctors to make public is that I have been found to have been exposed to Covid-19,” Odinga said in a statement on Thursday night.
The revelation ended media speculation about his health.
Last week, Odinga held several meetings at his plush Karen home with various delegations.
While holding talks with a delegation from Narok at his Karen home on March 6, Odinga was not wearing a mask.
On March 6, Odinga, who also doubles as African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development, attended a rally in Kwale county where he didn’t wear a mask.
Nevertheless, Odinga said despite the fact that he felt strong and in good shape after a few days in hospital, he would undertake the mandatory quarantine.
“I take this opportunity to thank the medical personnel for days of very meticulous work they have done to arrive at the diagnosis,” said the former Prime Minister.
“Finally, I wish to use this opportunity to emphasise to our people that Covid-19 is real, it is in our midst and we need to observe all the measures being put out by the government, scientists and health personnel. I thank everyone for the good wishes,” he added.
Kenya on Wednesday recorded the highest number of COVID-19 infections since last year, according to the country’s health minister.
Kenya is officially in its third wave of the outbreak, with 713 more people contracting the virus over the last 24 hours, out of a sample size of 5,230 people tested for the disease, Mutahi Kagwe noted, adding that the new numbers are alarming.
“The sheer number itself tells you the whole story, the positivity rate that we are announcing at around 14% is also the highest since the last phase in November,” he said.
Kenya on Wednesday lost 12 patients to COVID-19 bringing the death total to 1,898, with 563 patients admitted to hospitals and 1,588 under home-based care, while the number of patients in intensive care units has neared 90 compared to less than 20 in January.
The country’s total number of cases currently stands at 110,356. Over the last day, 167 patients have recovered from the disease, raising the total recoveries to 87,903.
Kenya last week received the first batch of Astra Zeneca Vaccine, a milestone promise for a better tomorrow following an otherwise difficult year in dealing with the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 1.02 million doses of the Astra Zeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine are part of the COVAX facility.
