Experts have warned that 16 new variants of the coronavirus could be silently spreading in Kenya.

The scientists from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) said the variants of the virus that causes Covid-19 are entirely different from those detected in the UK and South Africa.

In total, there are now 20 variants in circulation in Kenya, four having been discovered in March last year. One of the four variants first reported during the Kemri’s initial sequencing has mutated and is now raising concern among the team of researchers.

Although Kemri termed the findings preliminary, the investigators explained that there is one particular variant, whose samples were collected in Taita-Taveta County, that is unique to Kenya and is yet to be detected elsewhere else in the world.