The country recorded the highest number of Covid 19 infections in the country in a sp an of 24 hour period after 57 people tested positive to the highly infectious disease.
The Ministry of Health surveillance and case management team detected the new cases from 2,198 samples that were tested for Covid 19 during the last 24 hours.
This number brings now the total number of positive cases in the country to 887. Cumulatively, while at least 43,712 samples have so far been tested
Thirty-four (34) of the positive cases today are males, and twenty-three (23) are females with the youngest being two years old while the oldest is sixty-one years.
In a statement today released by the National Emergency Response Committee (NERC) on Corona virus and the response measures, today’s COVID-19 figures demonstrate that the disease is still within our midst and the infection curve is yet to flatten.
The distribution of cases by counties in today’s positive cases has seen Mombasa recording 35 cases, Nairobi 17 cases, Kajiado three 3 cases, Kwale one 1 case and Kitui 1 case.
In Mombasa, the statement says that the 35 cases are distributed areas of Mvita which has 22, Likoni 4, Changamwe and Nyali have3 cases each, Kisauni has 2 cases and Jomvu has one 1 case.
In Nairobi, the 17 cases are distributed in Kibra which has nine 9 cases, a mandatory quarantine centre in Nairobi has 2 cases, Eastleigh 2 cases and Aga Khan Hospital, Kamulu, Dandora and Pangani have one 1 case each.
Kwale County has one case in Msambweni, Kitui has one case in Mwingi Town, while the three cases in Kajiado are from Kajiado central two cases and Kajiado North with one case.
Today 12 other individuals and who are Truck Drivers from Tanzania have also tested positive. Eleven at Lunga Lunga Border and one at Taveta Border who were all referred back to Tanzania.
Twelve patients have also been discharged from hospital, bringing the total number of people who have so far recovered from Coronavirus to 313, while those that have succumbed to the disease remain at 50.
The Response team has gone ahead and appealed to Kenyans to continue observing the measures advised by the Government which include washing of hands, maintaining of social and physical distancing, high standards of hygiene and proper wearing of masks, among others.
“These measures must be observed together with the directives issued yesterday, 16th May, 2020, by His Excellency the President”, the statement said and urging Kenyans to continue observing the measures advocated for to flatten the curve and to keep everyone safe.
As the country battles coronavirus, today globally we are observing the World Hypertension Day, celebrated each year on May 17th.
This year’s theme is “Measure your blood pressure, control it, live longer’. The day is also reserved to educate the public and increase awareness of hypertension, which is commonly known as high blood pressure.
The condition can be managed and treated through lifestyle modifications and medication.
By Wangari Ndirangu
