The British Army base in Nanyuki has been put in total lockdown over reports of an outbreak of the UK Covid strain in the camp.
This is after four British troops tested positive for the Covid-19 strain. Reports indicate that a total of 320 military personnel have been placed under isolation rules with half of the troops quarantined in tents at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK).
Local staff, including chefs, were also banned from entering the BATUK camp for their own safety, as ordered by the Army commander.
The camp at BATUK has reportedly been placed in enhanced isolation in line with the Ministry of Defence’s Force Health Protection (FHP) measures.
The UK's Ministry of Defence, in a statement, confirmed that all the soldiers had been tested 92 hours before their flights to Kenya and that the necessary Covid-19 protocols were carried out upon arriving in the country.
A British army spokesperson affirmed that all measures were being employed to contain the spread of the virus.
"The British Army takes the health and wellbeing of personnel and the local community in Kenya very seriously. The Ministry of Defence’s Force Health Protection measures are being applied to prevent further infections," stated the spokesperson.
The Defence Ministry confirmed that more British troops would be deployed to the country to continue in the exercise training once the army base reopens.
This comes days after UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace had toured the base to commission a new Nyati barracks, at the camp.
Wallace, flanked by UK High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriot, had reassured the troops of their safety upon resumption of training within the base.
The activities at the army base had been paused in 2020 due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Every year, 10,000 British troops train in Kenya. However, due to the limitations caused by the pandemic, only 4,500 troops were trained last year.
