COVID-19

Weed preventing COVID-19? That high hope seemed to rise from this headline: "Cannabis May Stop Coronavirus From Infecting People, Study Finds." The headline appeared on an article on MerryJane.com that was widely shared on Facebook. But readers should not get too excited.The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

Kenya’s leading research institute has begun exploring efficacy of one of its herbal and traditional medicines likely to treat Covid-19. Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) has identified Zedupex, an in-house herbal medicine used in the treatment of genital herpes -- a common viral disease that causes sores on the mouth and genitals.

Kenyans have until May 22 to submit their recommendations to a taskforce on re-opening of schools following the coronavirus pandemic. The taskforce chairperson Dr Sara Ruto has asked Kenyans to submit written memoranda to the Secretariat, which is based at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) by e-mail to covid19erc@kicd.ac.ke or through P.O. Box 30231-00100, Nairobi.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the first case of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nairobi, on the 12th March 2020, the first one to be reported in Kenya since the beginning of the outbreak in China in December 2019.

Workers’ unions in public universities are headed for a clash with the management of the learning institutions.

The unions on Wednesday told their members to reject the half pay proposal by the universities.

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu), National Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga said the union will not accept 60 per cent salary for the month of April.

You are all invited to participate in a survey "Evaluation of Implementation of Online Learning". The goal of this survey is to evaluate the implementation of online learning that has been taking place at the University during the COVID-19 period. 

The findings of this survey will be used to improve the various approaches that the university has put in place for the implementation of online learning. 

Click on your respective link below and fill in the survey.

Student survey

Labels will provide links to more information on tweets that could mislead or confuse people and apply to all users.

Twitter will soon begin adding labels and warning messages on some tweets with disputed or misleading information about COVID-19, the company said on Monday, as part of a new approach to misinformation that will eventually extend to other topics.

Sports and Culture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Amb Amina Mohammed on Monday officially launched the Sh100 Million stimulus package for artists, actors, and musicians.

Speaking during the launch at the Kenya National Theater, CS Amina Mohammed noted that the Sh100M stimulus package for artistes will run for a period of 3 months from May to July 2020, and will be spearheaded by various state agencies and sports organizations.

Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to decelerate substantially in 2020 due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Economic growth projection remains highly uncertain and the outcome will hinge on how the pandemic plays out internationally and within Kenya, along with policy actions taken to mitigate the situation.

In today’s globalised world, characterised by the ever increasing trans-boundary flows of people and goods, the further spread of the pandemic is even greater. Infectious diseases spread more quickly than they ever have before, as evidenced by SARs, Ebola, Zika and bird flu outbreaks with the largest in the 21st century being COVI9-19 that has become a global matter.