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Ashanti: I didn't contract Covid-19 on trip to Kenya

After Grammy-award winning R&B singer Ashanti Douglas announced that she had tested positive for Covid-19 there was speculation that she contracted the disease during a visit to Kenya a week ago.

Through an Instagram post, the American star announced that she could not believe she had contracted the virus, bad news that got her cancelling her much anticipated Instagram Live battle with Keyshia Cole – after the visit to Nairobi National Park.

"Hey y'all, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I tested positive for Covid-19. I'm ok and not in any pain. I'm actually down to do the verzuz from my house... we're trying to figure it all out!" the US singer, one of the finest R&B stars of the 1990s era, posted at the weekend.

She later posted a video saying "never in a million years did I think I would get Covid."

The singer travelled to Africa at a time the United States, through the Centre for Disease Control, had warned Americans against visiting some countries, including Kenya, citing high risk of contracting Covid-19.

However, telling off the critics yesterday, the Never Should Have hit maker took to Twitter, and revealed that she contracted Covid-19 at home. “People thought that ohh you shouldn’t be travelling. No, it did not come from travelling, it came from a family member who gave my house too. Where I thought I was supposed to be safe,” she posted.

Instead, she said she had a ‘blast in Africa’.

Ashanti, who  landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on December 7.

The star landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on December 7. She announced her private arrival casually through Instagram, adding her location on her Instagram stories as Nairobi, which she described affectionately as “the mother land”.

She took fans through her experience, from her stay at Hemingways Nairobi, in Karen, to her tour through Nairobi National Park, inclusive of appreciation posts for the tour guides who ushered her through the nature trails.

A senior Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) official, who sought anonymity, told The Standard the singer's visit was privately organised by a tour company and her details concealed, as had been the case with many visiting international celebrities. The officer said she was not the first American star to come to the country and leave incognito since the pandemic was first reported in the country in March.   

In one of the videos, Ashanti is seen inside a tour van joking that she would not dare move out of the vehicle after she saw a buffalo. “That is close. I am definitely not getting out,” she says. Later, she moves out of the vehicle and takes photos, some with park rangers, as per the accounts she posted.

Ashanti took fans through her experience, from her stay at Hemingways Nairobi, in Karen, to her tour through Nairobi National Park.

During the tour, she was accompanied by New York City-based content creator Jay Richardson, who also went on social media commenting: “I only like to travel with independent women.”

Her Kenyan fans were over the moon, welcoming her to the country on comments of her latest photos. “Yes queen!” commented an Instagrammer by the username Shiks, accompanied with Kenyan flag emojis. “Welcome to Nairobi, the home of love and positive energy,” wrote another. Many other thrilled Kenyans painted her comments in the Kenyan flag colours.

While feeding giraffes, as seen on her Instagram stories, the singer was all the while a hot subject back in the United States - her fans awaited a Verzus battle with RnB singer Keyshia Cole.

Verzus is a virtual singing battle that gained popularity in the wake of the pandemic, an adjustment that some entertainers have taken to interact with their fans.

After Ashanti declared that she was Covid-19 positive, Verzus announced that the highly awaited online singing battle with Keyshia Cole was postponed.

“Ashanti tested positive for Covid-19 beforehand, and we cannot put anyone at risk in the process. First time this has struck us so close to Showtime. Get well soon Ashanti,” wrote Verzus on its official social media pages, setting the battle for January 9, 2021.