Kenya has surpassed the 6000 mark after 259 people tested positive for Covid 19 in the last 24 hours.
The Global coronavirus cases have also exceeded the 10 million mark as various countries that appeared to have flattened infection curve reported a resurgence of new infections of the disease that has so far killed almost half a million people over the last seven months.
Giving an update on today’s situation in the country on Sunday, the Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Dr. Mercy Mwangangi said out of the 2,718 samples tested and cumulatively the country having tested 165,196 samples, the total case load in the country now stands at 6,070.
“All the positive cases are Kenyans, except three (3) who are foreigners, with 159 being males and 100 females, the youngest is an 8 month old infant and the oldest is 92 years”, she said.
The CAS noted that unless the country steps up compliance of the containment measures it poses a potential threat of over-running of our healthcare facilities.
She gave statistics explaining that in the month of March since the first case was tested 78 people turned positive out of 3,419 samples, In April the number of samples tested was 19,108 out of which 328 tested positive while in the month of May 57,527 samples were run and 1615 tested positive.
“In the month of June, up to today, 85,142 samples have been tested, and 4,049 people have tested positive. From these figures, it is evidently clear that the number of those testing positive has been on a sharp increase”, she said.
Since the numbers are likely to overwhelm our health facilities, Dr, Mwangangi said this is a more reason why Counties must move with speed and finalize their level of preparedness considering the responsibility of managing COVID-19 patients, has shifted to the counties.
The 259 positive cases are distributed in counties with Nairobi having 127 cases, Mombasa, (39), Kiambu, (22), Machakos, (16), Busia (11), Makueni, (9), Nakuru, (9), Uasin Gishu, (9), Kilifi, (5), Kajiado, (3), Kisumu, (2), Lamu, (2) Garissa (2), Marsabit, (2), and Kwale, (1) case.
In sub-counties, the cases are distributed in Nairobi, the 127 cases are from; Westlands, (31), Dagoretti North, (22), Makadara, (12), Embakasi East, and Langata, (11) cases each, Starehe, (7), Roysambu, (6), Kasarani, (5), Embakasi South, Kamukunji, and Kibra, (4) cases each, Embakasi West, (3), Embakasi Central, Embakasi North and Mathare, (2) cases each, Dagoretti South, (1) case.
In Mombasa, the 39 cases are from Likoni, 13, Mvita, (8), Changamwe, (7), Jomvu (6), Nyali, (4) and Kisauni, one (1) case each. In Kiambu, the 22, cases are from Thika, (8), Kiambaa, (6), Kiambu town (4), Juja, Kabete, Lari and Ruiru, one (1) case each.
In Machakos, the 16 cases are from Athi River, (15) and Machakos Town, (1) case. In Busia all the 11, cases are from Teso North, while the (9) cases in Makueni, are from Kibwezi West, (7) and Kibwezi, East, (2).
In Nakuru, (9), cases are from Naivasha, (4), Nakuru East, (3) and Rongai, (2). In Uasin Gishu, the (9), cases are from Ainabkoi, (3), Kapseret, and Turbo (2) cases each, Moiben, and Soy, (1) case each.
In Kilifi, the (5), cases are from, Kaloleni and Kilifi South, (2) cases each and Malindi, (1). In Kajiado, the cases are in Kajiado North, (2) and Kajiado Central, (1). The cases in Kisumu, are all from Kisumu Central, while the (2) cases in Lamu, are from Lamu West. In Garissa, the cases are from Garissa Town, while in Marsabit, the cases are from Saku and the case in Kwale, is from Msambweni.
Lamu, the CAS said is the latest county to report a case, bringing the total number of counties with COVID-19 cases to 41.
Today , Dr. Mwangangi noted that the government has discharged 35 patients from various hospitals bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,971.Unfortunately she added that the country has lost two (2) more patients to the disease, bringing the total number of those who have succumbed to 143.
The CAS noted that the government is aware that majority of Kenyans are eager to have the restrictions lifted and normal activities to resume saying that considerations are being made and the situation being assessed
Acting Director General at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth said the government last week agreed on key 6 parameters that are basic minimum that will determine whether we lift the containment measures or not.
He named one as emergency preparedness at County level especially the establishment of rapid response teams to deal with cases when they arise and the second one is enhancement in term of case detection and management,
“The third pillar is risk communication and we have called on Governors to have dialogue with their people on counties and be able to communicate on Covid 19, while the fourth one is Laboratory testing”, Dr. Amoth said noting that currently the country has 28 labs spread across 12 counties but will be enhanced further.
The fifth component on opening containment measures, he added, will be on public health and social measures that should be undertaken including inter county movements while the six one is infection prevention control measures with a focus to shield the elderly and vulnerable.
Government will continue to coordinate response and infection prevention and control measures, and to upgrade preparedness, surveillance to contain COVID-19. However, the effectiveness of the responses are dependent on how, as a Nation all comply with the containment measures.
By Wangari Ndirangu
