Around the world there is a big debate among scientists on whether viruses are biologically dead or alive. The science about this debate is complicated and comes down to such terminologies as *genomes* and *metabolism*. But in Kenya these days, one would be forgiven to think that many ordinary folk walking on the streets have long settled this intriguing debate. They all seem to have decided that the novel coronavirus that is causing havoc around the world, is functionally dead and buried. 

> How else can you explain the sudden return of the hustle and bustle of city life for instance? How do you account for the fact that traffic jams in Nairobi are back to factory settings and hawkers and bartenders are back in position?

In reality, this behavior may have little to do with the genetics of the coronavirus and that raging scientific debate. Something is slowly giving in Kenya’s fight against the new coronavirus and the disease it causes known as **COVID-19**. The occasional high pitch of the Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, during his daily briefings, betrays the creeping frustration at Afya House. In the first week of May alone, the number of confirmed cases in the country has jumped by more than one quarter to breach the **500 mark**. Nairobi’s Eastleigh area has recorded nearly **40 cases in a span of just 48 hours**. Mombasa’s Old Town is also emerging as a key melting pot for COVID-19.

Yet Kenyans are pouring back onto the streets, markets and office floors as if an all-clear signal has been sounded in every corner of the country. Eastleigh, in spite of its soaring new infection numbers, is still teeming with animated businessmen and women and equally enchanted customers so vigorously buying and selling as if to thumb the nose of the virus.

Dr Lukoye Atwoli, the Vice President of the Kenya Medical Association calls it a ‘natural human response’. He contends that Kenyans may now be fatigued since most of them have been at home or at least away from their regular work for an unusually long period of time. There is also the emerging view that the decision by the government to allow restaurants to to re-open, may have sent the wrong signals about the level of threat the country faces. But the threat, warns Dr Atwoli, is still very real and present in the country. 

The other headache is the standoff around what has been referred to as *‘mass testing’*, which is in fact merely targeted testing in identified hotspots such as Kawangware and Eastleigh in Nairobi and Old Town in Mombasa. This exercise has run into massive headwinds. Many members of the public believe that presenting oneself for COVID-19 testing is tantamount to putting one’s freedom and pocket on the line. They fear that testing positive for the virus automatically means being sent to quarantine *‘at your own cost’*. This fear is not unfounded since the Ministry of Health officials have dutifully deployed this phrase *‘at your own cost’* in almost every news conference they have held since the first case was reported in the country in the second week of March this year. Not even the cajoling by Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has convinced residents of Old Town to turn up for the exercise.

@[youtube](1Kmnt5q0xqA)

***Mombasa resident comments on mass testing | Wanon Media***

This stalemate has put the government’s mantra of ‘trace, test, isolate and treat’, into serious jeopardy. The longer it takes for the tests to be carried out, the wider the spread of the virus might be and the more difficult it would be to trace all the contacts of any resident who might turn a positive result.

The government is now racing against time to close the transmission loop and convince an increasingly restless population that the threat is still real, that the virus is still alive enough to cause massive damage in the economy and overrun the country’s healthcare system.



Is the Virus Dead In Kenya? Government’s Big Test as COVID-19 Fight Enters New Phase

There is that old saying that 

> “if you can’t beat them, you join them” 

Of course scientists are not often associated with proverbs and such other linguistic niceties, but a group of malaria researchers working in Kenya, may well be heeding this old wisdom in new research [published in Nature Communications journal](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16121-y).

For years, the mosquito has been regarded as a nuisance. In fact, the malaria-transmitting type known as the *Anopheles mosquito*, derives its very name from an ancient greek word, *ἀνωφελής (anōphelḗs)*, which literally means ***'useless'*** or ***'without profit'***.  But now the researchers drawn from Kenya and the United Kingdom and working under the auspices of the **International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE)**, believe they have a found a way through which mosquitoes could be used to stop the spread of malaria.

The study conducted on the shores of Lake Victoria, found that a microbe that is naturally present in some of the mosquitoes makes them immune to the parasite that causes malaria. This means these particular mosquitoes can therefore not transmit malaria to humans. Many previous and ongoing studies have focused on ways of eradicating mosquitoes or somehow artificially interfering with their ability to transmit the most dangerous malaria-causing parasite known scientifically as *Plasmodium falciparum*.

This study is particularly exciting because it bumped onto a potentially powerful new frontier that involves *‘co-operating’* with the mosquito to destroy malaria. The microbe which they have named *Microsporidia MB*, occurs in about 5% of all mosquitoes and they are convinced that increasing this number could drastically cut down on malaria cases in the country.

Dr Jeremy Herren, who led the research while jointly affiliated with **ICIPE** and the **University of Glasgow in Scotland**, says this newly identified microbe is of particular interest because it is a symbiont, meaning it has a mutually beneficial relationship with mosquitoes.

> “The bodies of all animals are inhabited by microbes which are either detrimental – in other words pathogens; or neutral / beneficial symbionts,”explains Dr Herren, adding, “Healthy insects often have microbial symbionts inside their bodies and cells, which can have major effects on the biology of their hosts. At icipe, my team’s research is focused on this type of microbial symbiont, especially when they may be interfering with transmission of diseases by insects.”

The research involved many Kenyan scholars, mainly student pursuing post-graduate studies. One of them, Lillian Mbaisi says the microbe has two important qualities that makes it invaluable in this new quest to beat malaria. “We were excited to find that the *Microsporidia MB* symbiont is transmitted from mother mosquitoes to their offspring, and that the microbe does not compromise the ability of mosquitoes to survive,” says Mbaisi, a student at the University of Nairobi, doing her research project at **ICIPE**.

The next big thing for the researchers will now be to find ways of ensuring that more mosquitoes have this microbe especially in regions such as Nyanza, Western and parts of the Coast, where malaria is most common.

They are considering somehow infecting mosquitoes en mass with this microbe or introducing it in male mosquitoes so that they can pass it on to the females during mating. The females in turn will naturally pass the microbes onto their offspring, thereby helping the numbers to increase without any human intervention. The researchers believe that infecting between **40% and 50%** of mosquitoes with this microbe could have significant impact in the fight against malaria.

Malaria remains one of the leading globally health concerns, with at least **400,000 deaths annually**. According to the **Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)**, an estimated **3.5 million** people are diagnosed with the disease in Kenya each year, with **10,700 deaths recorded**.

The scientists at **ICIPE** are hoping that using the mosquito as an ally in the fight, may soon ease that headache.

From Enemies to Allies: Could Mosquitoes Hold the Key to Beating Malaria?

The world is staring at a crisis that has no precedent. For the first time in history, every country is dealing with the exact same problem, even if the manifestations and the impacts are varied. The novel coronavirus has pre-occupied the global community in ways seldom witnessed before. Health systems are overwhelmed. Travel, both local and international, has nearly ground to a halt. More than one third of the global population is in some form of lockdown or milder restrictions as governments move to curb the spread of COVID-19. That is the background against which the 50th anniversary of Earth day is being marked.

But as the pandemic continues to upend literally every aspect of life, experts are pointing to an unintended pleasant consequence. Mother Earth is beginning to breath again. In March this year, images appeared on Facebook of fish swimming graciously in the often murky canals of the Italian city of Venice. The absence of human activity for just a couple of weeks had breathed a new lease of life into the canals that typically teem with countless gondolas and thousands of tourists.

In China, which accounts for about one-third of global CO2 emissions, officials have been reporting unprecedented frequency of clear skies and overall air quality. The specialised web publication, 'Carbon Brief' estimates that there will be a 5.5 % reduction in global CO2 emission levels this year, as a result of the reduced human activity. That figure would have otherwise been unimaginable if it were business as usual. Former US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz says the reduction may be temporary but it is a welcome pointer to what is possible in a world with less fossil fuel. “This is a glimpse of the benefits that would accrue from having a robust low-carbon economy”, he says, noting that domestic consumption had risen slightly while industry energy was at a near all-time low since the advent of the global pandemic.

John Kioli of the Kenya Climate Change Working Group (KCCWG), calls on Kenyans to evaluate the sustainability of the country’s energy sources and consumption patterns. “We should check on how often we have our lights on during the day, how many appliances we keep on at the same time and all the other smaller details we often overlook”, he says. Owing to the heavy travel restrictions, many international conferences are now happening online saving the planet huge quantities of carbon emissions. Ecologists hope that such habits will not disappear once the crisis is under control.

@[youtube](fGPTaW6gSJk)

*The Silver Lining in the Dark COVID-19 Cloud, But For How Long? - John Kioli | Wanon Media*

The slowed human activity has however resulted in reduced economic activity that might snowball into a full-blown recession. That, according experts, would undermine the short –term gains made in environmental conservation in general and climate action in particular. Respected University of Chicago economics scholar Michael Greenstone predicts that climate change will once again take the back banner as countries struggle to reverse the economic downturn. “The recession will hurt climate change action since pressing immediate economic needs will take precedence over climate mitigation measures.”, he said during an online panel discussion organized by Aspen Institute and the Future Earth organisation, to mark Earth Day. But John Kioli hopes that the positive habits learnt by default throughout this season will not be rolled back once the pandemic is controlled and increased human activity resumes. The 50th anniversary of Earth Day is different in many ways, not just because it is a milestone, but it coincides with a complex confluence of various forces, with varying implications for the planet. What will the world look like when the 60th anniversary of Earth Day is marked in 2030? That is the big questions that the post-COVID-19 dispensation will have to answer.

The Silver Lining in the Dark COVID-19 Cloud, But For How Long?

In the recent past, the use of pesticides to produce food has become a subject matter; especially between the pro- and anti-pesticide groups in Kenya. It is without doubt that at the heart of the debate lies the proposal that pesticides should be banned entirely in the nation, since it contains toxic substances that affect food production in Kenya. However, the proponents of these toxic pesticides have assured Kenyans that, pesticides are imperative in the production of enough food for the entire nation. They, the proponents, also assert that if food were to be free of the toxins, it would be impossible to produce enough feed for the Kenyan population. This mentality is what prompts scholars and interested parties across the nation to wonder the importance of using toxins in food production; *is it logical to put the health of Kenyans in danger with the mentality of producing huge food yield?* *What is the relevance of producing huge yields to a nation that would suffer the consequences of toxins in them?*

It is critical to note that products from Kenya have a market abroad. However, many of the products have been rejected by many nations on the grounds that they contain pesticide residues. For instance, fine grain beans from Kenya was recently rejected due to its high pesticide acephate residue. On the other hand, the rejected food produce are normally sold on the Kenyan market such as in Kangemi and Marikiti. In other words, are the vegetables sold in our markets safe for consuming?

It is obvious that farmers, just like the consumers of the farm produce stand a chance of being affected by the toxic pesticide. Furthermore, 70% of the rural economy depends on the agricultural sector. Therefore, these farmers are susceptible to growing food using the increasing pesticides in the Kenyan market – unaware of the impact that these pesticides causes to the natural environment as well as the health of the Kenyan people.

> In as much as the proponents consider the use of pesticides as a necessary evil, it is very vital to understand that it is unnecessary evil since there are other better alternatives to toxic pesticides.

It is also clear that the use of organic agriculture in Africa is something that has been effective for a long time – especially by the small scale farmers in tropical Africa. Other methods that were effective included the use of sticky traps (Roll Tech) to control aphids, fungi like Metarhizium anisopliae marketed as biomagic, and other bio-friendly pest control alternatives that are efficient and effective in pest control.

Ideally, the use of toxic pesticide in the nation should be discouraged at all cost – because Kenyan’s health matters.



Toxic pesticides against Kenyan health matters

The novel Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in the Kenya and across the African continent, with no signs of letting up anytime soon. Since President Kenyatta lifted the inter-county travel restrictions, there has been a drastic rise in the number of infections with the daily tally reaching a high of 960 cases.

With Kenyans facing tough economic times and having to get back to their places of work, it is becoming harder to stay at home and social distance leading to increased cases. The Ministry of Health has come up with guidelines to govern the slow return to normalcy with varying levels of success, however it is becoming increasingly clear that an antidote is now needed more than ever before. Various trial vaccines are currently at different stages of development.

A vaccine is a substance introduced to the body to stimulate production of antibodies to fight off a certain virus or bacteria. Vaccines are complex and take a long time to develop depending on the condition and the nature of the virus or bacteria being targeted. An example is HIV which has been researched for over 30 years without a successful vaccine being developed.

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***What Will It Take: Steps to a Covid-19 Vaccine | Wanon Media***

 When germs invade the bodies, the immune system naturally dispatches what scientists call macrophages to fight off the intruders. Normally this does the trick and the threat is eliminated even before you even get sick. Once the intruder is eliminated, most of the cells involved in this process die, leaving behind memory cells that identify the threat quicker in case there is a reinfection in future. This process normally takes a few days, opening the possibility of the person in question getting sick, but once the body acquires memory cells for the disease, it can deal with any potential reinfection even before the person exhibits symptoms.

Vaccines take advantage of this natural process to help the body familiarize itself with certain ailments by triggering an immune response. Each vaccine is unique depending on the nature of threat to the body. The first category is often called ‘Live Vaccines’, which are essentially a weakened version of the disease-causing organism introduced to the body to trigger  an immune response. Scientists say these types of vaccines can be dangerous and should not be used by people with a weakened immune system because they may not be able to fight the disease. There is also the inactive vaccines which contain dead versions of the disease, but which the body still views as a threat and induces it to produce memory cells to fight off similar infections in the future. The newest form of vaccines is known as DNA vaccines involve the introduction into the body of genes from the organism in question but since only a part of the disease-causing virus or bacteria is used, it can't lead to a full blown version of the disease thus reducing the risk to people with weak immune systems.

According to the World Health Organization, as at 27th July, there are 25 candidate vaccines for the Coronavirus in clinical evaluation and 139 more in pre-clinical evaluation. Researchers are working to develop a viable vaccine in the next 12-18 months a considerably short time considering the long process usually required before a vaccine can be availed to the market.

A typical vaccine development would often begin with preliminary research to establish a possibility that the vaccine could be viable. The stage is then followed by three trial phases before it can move to full production, approval and distribution to the market.

In the research stage, scientists have to study and understand how the virus works. in the case of Covid-19, a lot of research was already ongoing for more than a decade following the outbreak of SARS and MERS which are both caused by Coronaviruses.

In the Pre-Clinical stage, a pilot factory is set up to produce vaccines for the trials stages, existing factories can be repurposed to serve this cause. From the Phase 1 through to the Phase 3 trials, researchers gradually move from testing a few dozen people, hundreds and eventually thousands, subject to approval from the relevant authorities.

If the trials are successful, additional investment must be made in order to build factories to manufacture the vaccine. Given the delicate nature of this task, the factory must be built specifically for a certain vaccine, the reagents and equipment needed may be unique to that particular vaccine only. Once production is underway, the regulatory authority must certify that the vaccine safe and approve it for distribution.

What It Will Take: Steps to A Vaccine

Global warming and climate change have recently risen to the top of the political agenda in many nations. The *normal* way of life for many people around the world including Kenyans, is being impacted by the changing environment. Kenya's food security is projected to worsen in the near future as a result of ongoing rain shortages and rising food prices, according to the United Nations' aid agency. They also observed that the scarcity of food will inevitably result in the need for assistance for almost 4.4 million individuals. 

In order to combat the impending drought that is causing starvation, particularly in the Horn of Africa, the Kenyan government examined the necessity of repealing the national prohibition on genetically modified crops in October 2022. Dr. William Ruto, the country's current president, backed this action and stated that easing the restriction was part of the government's response to the country's food shortage and drought. On the other side, this ban caused a stir in the country, with some people asserting that it may affect the nation's farmers and citizens in the long run. The ban's proponents, however, claim that it is the only way to increase food security in Kenya. 

 It is important to highlight that anti-GMO groups and concerned citizens continue to oppose this decision to repeal the prohibition. Previous administrations put the prohibition in place for a reason, and repealing it will cause new problems for the nations. The groups in question claim that the restriction could have a negative impact on Kenyans' agriculture and health. Numerous civil society organizations also urged the government to re-impose the ban when it was lifted in October. Additionally, they encouraged the government to take into account other options for the nation's food security. 

 Ann Maina, the national coordinator of the Kenya Biodiversity and Biosafety Association, was seen and overheard grumbling about the restriction. According to her,
 >  "there is so much debate surrounding it, and it is imperative not to allow GMOs in the country."

Kenya has since 2012 prohibited the use of genetically modified crops for both animal and human feed. It was opposed to food made with biotechnological advances. Another factor that led to this prohibition was a French study that connected GMOs to health problems and cancer-causing chemicals. Because of this, individuals may soon contract cancer if they eat genetically modified foods now that the country has lifted its ban.

In contrast, Dr. Roy Mugiira, the Executive Director of the National Biosafety Authority of Kenya, the government agency that oversees genetically modified organisms in Kenya, also joined the debate, saying that *"lifting the ban will not only benefit Kenya but also other drought-affected countries in the region."* *"Kenya and other countries will be able to access emergency food aid through the United Nations World Food Program"* he said. However, many African countries, including Kenya's neighbors Tanzania and Uganda, have outlawed GM agriculture. As a result, Kenya's lifting of the ban caused turmoil, with Tanzania increasing its vigilance against GMOs following Kenya's decision. 



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Is the Virus Dead In Kenya? Government’s Big Test as COVID-19 Fight Enters New Phase

From Enemies to Allies: Could Mosquitoes Hold the Key to Beating Malaria?

What It Will Take: Steps to A Vaccine

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