The coronavirus disease Covid-19 is here with us. Although no cases have been recorded in Kenya, the new scourge spreading like bushfire is now the topic of nearly every conversation.
Anything that can knock Dr William Ruto and Raila Odinga off the headlines must, indeed, pack a powerful punch.
Kenya is not immune to the fear and apprehension spreading across the world at the same rate as the virus that, by the weekend, had infected more than 87,000 people and killed 3,000 since the first cases emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.
Although the vast majority of cases — nearly 80,000 infections and 2,800 deaths — have been reported from China, particularly around the Wuhan epicentre, nobody anywhere else can suffer the delusion that Covid-19 is a Chinese problem. It is global.
Pestilences like these do not respect national boundaries and no country is safe unless it can hermetically seal itself off from the rest of the world.
Africa, somehow, has been spared the scourge with only three recorded cases — in Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria. However, we have a reason to worry. The virus could spread out of control once it makes firm touchdown on a continent notorious for inefficient or non-existent public health and sanitation systems.
Kenya is no exception to the African norm. If the chatter in markets, bars, churches and beauty salons, at roadsides, on social media and everywhere else citizens gather to discuss matters of national and global importance is anything to go by, most Kenyans don’t have confidence in their government to protect them from the coronavirus disease.
In the midst of general concern that the government was not doing enough, there was widespread outrage when a China Southern Airlines aeroplane from Guangzhou landed at a time other countries were restricting flights from the affected areas.
Guangzhou happens to be the Chinese city with the second-highest number of coronavirus cases and Kenyans were hardly impressed that the passengers, after being cleared to enter the country, were asked to go into 14 days of self-quarantine instead of mandatory confinement.
The furious reaction was understandable but it also brought out the worst in us. It exposed the latent anti-Chinese xenophobia now openly emerging with coronavirus as the driver. There were instances of Chinese in various parts of the country being viewed with suspicion.
Indeed, it became a narrative that Kenya faced a grave threat from Chinese being allowed to enter the country unchecked and, possibly, bring infections with them. One politician went as far as to urge his constituents to stone any suspect Chinese they came across.
Kenya, indeed, faces a grave threat if the virus enters the country — and it surely will. However, reactions based on ignorance and inbuilt prejudices don’t help. For instance, on the China Southern aeroplane, many assumed that it was full of Chinese but 70 per cent of the passengers were actually citizens of other countries, including Kenya.
Guangzhou is a manufacturing and trading hub hosting hundreds of Kenyan merchants, who must retain the right to come home when they so wish.
It is strange that we are demanding a halt of air links with China but at the same time demanding that the government facilitate the return of Kenyan students stranded in Wuhan, where there is near-total lockdown.
If we are to suspend air travel between Kenya and China, we would also have to consider similar curbs on Italy, Japan, South Korea, Iran and all other countries that have registered significant spikes in coronavirus cases.
Kenya is a regional trade and transport hub and cannot afford to cut itself off from the world.
Beyond knee-jerk reactions demanding isolationist policies, we must look towards more effective screening of travellers, starting from all boarding points onto arrival at ports of entry, with special focus on high-risk countries of origin.
We must also put in place stringent containment measures, including mandatory secure quarantine, should any person be found with the virus, as well as all other measures to manage those infected and limit chances of the virus spreading.
This is what the national emergency response committee appointed last week by President Uhuru Kenyatta should focus on. But it can also drive a massive education campaign as we would all be much safer with enhanced personal hygiene, including routine use of masks, gloves and hand sanitisers.
Oh, and bring our young girls and boys back home from Wuhan. They would do much better in quarantine here than at the headquarters of coronavirus, where chances of infection are 10 times higher.
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