Three years after the deadly virus arrived, COVID-19 is still around. As I write this article, I can tell you that I did test positive for the disease back in January 2023. I know what you are thinking: the vaccination. Yes, I am double jabbed. But the vaccine loses its potency over time.
It has been only three days since I sat down on a humble hotel in Kericho to watch president Ruto pitch his 3% mandatory levy on all salary-earning citizens. During this time, the president was accompanied by the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong. The Kenyan president used this prime minister as a testimony that the 3% housing levy was necessary. President Ruto actually used Singapore as an example of a country that has successfully eliminated slum housing on their territory.
But now, the Singaporean Prime Minister has tested positive for COVID-19. Most experts will opine that there is a strong possibility that the Kenyan president got exposed to the virus since the two leaders shared the stage without using masks. The possibility of William Ruto getting COVID is extremely high.
But this will depend on a number of factors including comorbidities and the strength of the president’s immune system. Pre-existing medical conditions will also be a factor in the president’s ability to fend-off COVID-19.
Covid-19 No Longer Considered a Pandemic
Two weeks ago, World Health Organization (WHO) lifted its classification of COVID-19 as a global health emergency. This means that the disease is no longer considered a pandemic. Thanks to the global efforts of vaccinating people en masse to generate herd immunity.
“It is with great hope that I declare Covid-19 over as a global health emergency,” said the W.H.O. director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Covid-19 has been so much more than a health crisis: it has caused severe social upheaval,” said Dr. Tedros, describing crippled economies, closed borders, shuttered schools and millions of people suffering in isolation.
What Lee Hsien Loong Said about COVID-19
After testing positive for the Coronavirus, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged fellow Singaporeans to continue engaging in activities meant to combat the disease. Specifically, the prime minister urged the people of Singapore to keep their vaccination status up to date.
“I tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time this morning,” Lee said on Facebook, where he posted a photo of a positive antigen rapid test. “I am generally feeling ok, but my doctors have advised me to self-isolate until I am asymptomatic.”
“Please continue to keep your vaccinations up-to-date, as it reduces the risk of severe illness. As COVID-19 remains endemic in Singapore, we must continue to stay safe and healthy”, the prime minister said.
Recent Trips in Africa
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was recently on a state trip to Africa where he visited South Africa and Kenya. He visited the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in Cape Town, South Africa between May 14-16. The Asian leader then concluded his visit to Africa when he met president Ruto in Nairobi, Kenya between May 17-19. It is likely that the prime minister got the virus while in one of these two countries.
