The Kenya Aids Vaccine Initiative (Kavi) has already registered 200 Kenyans for the experimental vaccine on coronavirus as 127 more people tested positive on Friday.
Prof Omu Anzala, the director of Kenya Aids Vaccine Initiative said that the experimental phase requires a bigger number than the 200 volunteers who have already registered.
“We have engaged communities in the counties and so far 200 participants are ready for the trial,” he told Senate Health Committee on Thursday.
He said that the department is seeking ethical approval to conduct clinical trials on the vaccine in Kenya.
Prof Wanzala, also a lecturer at the University of Nairobi (UoN) told Senators that the experimental phase is challenging because “even if we get all ethical approvals we will still need the consumer buy-in.”
Since its establishment in 1998, Kavi has conducted a total of eight HIV vaccine trials and is currently working towards getting a vaccine for coronavirus.
This comes as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 1,745 on Friday. 127 people tested positive.
Health CAS Dr Mercy Mwangangi while briefing Kenyans at Afya House said 126 of the new cases were Kenyans and only one is a foreigner.
The ministry through Kemri and the National Influenza Centre tested 3, 831 samples bringing the total of tested samples to 74,003.
Nairobi had 76 cases, Mombasa 19, Busia 16, Uasin Gishu 8, Kiambu 2, Kajiado 5 and Isiolo 1.
In Nairobi, Kibra led the pack with 49 cases followed by Ruaraka 13, Makadara 4, and Westlands 4.
Langata had 2 and Embakasi West, Kasarani, Dagoretti North and Starehe had one case each.
The total number of discharged patients are now 438 after 17 more patients were discharged.
However, four more patients in Mombasa. The CAS said that they had underlying medical condition including hypertension, diabetes and asthma.
