The government on Wednesday discharged 54 patients who have recovered from coronavirus disease.
This is the highest number of recoveries the country has so far recorded since the first 1st April, 2020.
This now bring to 553, the number of individuals who have recovered from the disease in the country.
Giving an update today on the corona virus situation in the country, Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Dr. Rashid Aman said the recoveries demonstrates the good management by the healthcare workers and shows that this disease, when clinically manifested, is curable and hence not a death sentence.
“As the coronavirus continues to ravage the globe, there has been many recoveries. Three million persons out of the 6.2 million infected globally, have fully recovered and these recoveries are attributed to the diligent and committed work of healthcare workers, operating in enabled health systems”, Dr. Rashid said.
He has however noted that majority of the truck drivers who are arriving at the borders without valid document are causing unnecessary snarl ups and delays.
These are scenarios that can very easily be avoided of all of them can adhere to the process of being tested 48 hours prior before they embark on their journey and this he said will avoid inconveniencing other road users.
He acknowledged that there is a bit of delay in releasing results but noted that they are giving priority to samples of the truck drivers that is majorly being undertaken at Turbo centre but further also said that the two mobile testing clinics in Namanga and Mai Mahiu are up and running to ensure truck drivers are tested and get their results faster.
On the COVID-19 situation, Dr. Rashid said that 123 people have tested positive from 2,112 samples that were tested in the last 24 hours.
This now brings the total number of positive cases at 2,216, while the total number of samples tested so far is 85,058.
The positive cases are distributed as follows; Nairobi, 44, Mombasa, 34, Busia, 20, Uasin Gishu, 12, Kiambu, 3, Kajiado, 3, Nyeri, 3, Kilifi, 2, Garissa, 1 and Laikipia, 1.
The distribution of the cases in the sub-counties the CAS added is the 44 cases in Nairobi are from; Kibra, ten Westlands, nine Dagoretti North, four Embakasi West, four Embakasi South, Langata, Makadara, Mathare, and Kasarani, three each while Ruaraka and Kamukunji each have one case.
In Mombasa, the thirty-four cases are from Mvita, eleven Jomvu eight , Changamwe, five Likoni, four , Kisauni and Nyali have three cases each.
The twenty cases in Busia are all of truck drivers at the Malaba Border, while the twelve cases in Uasin Gishu are also of truck drivers at Turbo. Similarly, the three cases in Kajiado are all of truck drivers.
In Nyeri, the three cases are from Nyeri Central, (2) and Nyeri South, (1). In Garissa the one case is from Garissa town and in Laikipia, the one case is from Laikipia West.
Dr. Rashid said out of the positive cases today , 90 are males and 33 are females with the youngest being 8 years old and the the oldest is 84.
Sadly, the CAS said the country has lost 3 male patients from the disease, Two of them are from Nairobi, while one is from Nyeri.
He explained that the youngest one is a 12-year-old boy, who tested positive posthumously, while the other two are 41 years and 71 years of age. This now brings to 74 the total number of those who have succumbed to the disease.
The CAS noted that even as we celebrate successes, the importance of observing containment measures is still key and warned a few people who have reverted to business as usual not to do so but take personal responsibility in the fight.
“Many entertainment joints have now opened to full business. I am sure that you have seen some video clips in the social media, showing people crowding such places throwing all caution to the wind, as regards to social distancing. This is unacceptable, and if anything, it creates a perfect environment for infection. We must not allow ourselves to quickly recede to the old ways”, he said.
He also emphasized on the need to wear masks, saying that a casual walk to the streets of the Nairobi Central business district reveals that most people are not wearing masks or are wearing them improperly.
By Wangari Ndirangu
