10 Counties account for 86 percent of Kenya’s Covid-19 cases which have now risen to 7,886 after 309 tested positive in the last 24 hours out of 4,228 samples tested in 37 Counties, the Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Dr. Rashid Aman has said.
The total number of samples tested in the country to 189,263 while Sunday the number of those discharged from hospital were 51 raising the number of recoveries now to 2,287.
Giving an update on the Covid situation in the country today, the CAS however, noted that the country has also lost one person to Covid bringing the number of those who have so far succumbed to 160.
“The top ten Counties accounting for 86.4 percent of these samples are Nairobi (43.7%), Mombasa (12.2%), Narok (6.5%), Busia (5.0%), Nandi (4.8%), Nakuru (3.8%), Kajiado (3%), Kisumu (2.9%), Turkana (2.3%), and Makueni (2.2%)”, he said.
Dr. Rashid further said the other 27 Counties collectively accounted for 13.6 percent of the samples and out of Sunday’s sample all were Kenyans except seven foreigners, 217 are males, and 92 females and in terms of age, the youngest is one (1) year old infant, while the oldest is 83 year of age.
In the recent weeks, the CAS said that the country has witnessed Covid-19 cases steadily rising implying that many more people will require critical care, and our healthcare facilities risk being overwhelmed.
Correspondingly, he added that our case fatality rate is also likely to increase noting that despite our case fatality rate being 2.09 and within the recommended global standards, it should still remain of great concern to us, because no life should be lost under any circumstance.
The distribution of the cases by counties in the last 24 hours has Nairobi accounting for 193 cases, followed by Kajiado, 22, Kiambu, 20, Mombasa 18, Makueni, 17, Busia 11, Machakos 9, Nakuru, 8, Nandi, 3, Turkana, 3, Narok, 2, Nyandarua, 1, Kakamega, 1, Kilifi, 1.
The distribution of the cases by sub counties is that in Nairobi, the 193 cases are in Langata, (56), Kibra, (18), Westlands, (15), Dagoretti North, (13), Kasarani (13), Ruaka, (12), Embakasi East, (11), Embakasi West (11), Makadara (10), Starehe (10), Embakasi South (6), Kamukunji (6), Roysambu (5), Embakasi Central, (4), Dagoretti South (1), Embakasi North (1), and Mathare, (1).
In Kajiado, the cases are in; Kajiado East (13), Kajiado North (6) and Kajiado Central, (3). In Kiambu, the 20 cases are in; Ruiru (9), Kabete, (5), Kiambaa, (2), Kikuyu (2), and Kiambu (1), and Thika Town, (1),
In Mombasa, the 18 cases are in; Mvita (8), Jomvu (6), Changamwe (2), Likoni (1), and Nyali (1).
In Makueni, all the 17 cases are from Makueni West. In Busia the cases are in; Teso North (6), Teso South (5). In Machakos, all the 9 cases are in Athi River, while in Nakuru, the 8 cases are in; Naivasha, 3, Gilgil, 2, Nakuru East, 2, and Nakuru West, 1.
In Nandi, the cases are in; Emgwen, 2 and Nandi Hills, 1. In Turkana, all the 3 cases are in Turkana West. I Narok, the cases are in; Narok East and Narok North have one (1) case each.
In Kilifi, the one case is in Malindi, while the case in Nyandarua is in Ol Kalou and finally, the one case in Kakamega is in Lugari.
Dr. Rashid reminded Kenyans on the importance of observing the containment measures since the growing number of positive cases indicates that the containment measures are not fully adhered to.
“We have observed that many of our people are going about their everyday activities as if we are in normal times. There have been cases of illegal gatherings, such as house parties in various counties, with people paying no regard to the need for social distance or wearing of face masks”, he said.
He also named transport operators who are overloading their vehicles especially in rural settings, boda boda operators carrying more than one passengers, practices that Dr. Rashid said will require personal responsibility by all of us.
The Public Health Director, Dr. Francis Kuria said that most counties are almost finalised establishing the 300 bed capacity with some even surpassing the numbers.
On the issue of level 5 hospitals being prepared for the rising numbers of Covid cases, Dr. Kuria clarified that most Counties had also set aside designated Covid treatment facilities with the aim of maintaining their level 5 facilities for other health needs.
By Wangari Ndirangu
