The government yesterday raised the red flag over the rapid spread of the Indian variant (Delta) of coronavirus in 13 counties.

Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi said the government will deploy a multi-agency team to work with the county governments to contain the spread.

The highly infectious variant was first reported in Kisumu. 

Mwangangi said measures had been put in place  to contain the spread. 

She was speaking during a meeting with the Health and Interior ministries and Inter Faith Council (IFC) members at a Nairobi hotel.

“Surveillance is key and laboratories picking samples for tests show a worrying trend,” she said.

The CAS said the government would provide enough personal protective equipment for staff and oxygen.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said there was need to work closely with religious leaders in dealing with the pandemic.

Matiang’i said an assessment at places of worship showed that they were the most compliant.

“We have not been here before and there is no way we could have prepared enough to live in a new reality where we are dealing with a pandemic that seems ferocious,” he said.

He urged Kenyans to respect the containment measures, adding: “ The strongest and best defence is our individual measures.”

The CS also said that he will today gazette the extension of the term of the IFC up to December to help other agencies in managing the pandemic.

The chair of the Inter Faith Council Archbishop Muheria advised religious leaders to adopt other ways of worship, including live streaming of services as one of the measures of containing the spread.