The numbers of Covid 19 infections are yet to stabilise in the country as at Monday as 72 individuals have tested positive for the virus out of 2,711 samples tested in the last 24 hours.
The cumulative case load of positives now stands at 1,286, while the total number of samples so far tested in the country is 61,971.
The Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Dr. Mercy Mwangangi said cases continue to be recorded, sometimes in very large numbers, in counties identified as high risk and even in those not considered to be very high risk counties.
“This should be a concern to all of us, and it reminds us that we must remain vigilant and on high alert as a Nation at all times and focus our energies to comply with the containment measures and protocols advocated for by the Government to stop the spread of the virus,” she added.
The CAS who was speaking at Afya house on Day 74 since the first case of Coronavirus was reported in the country said that Seventy (70) of the cases tested Monday were Kenyans, one a Somali National and the other one is a Ugandan.
Of the positive cases, she added that 44 are males while 28 are females and their ages range is between12 years for the youngest and 78 years for the oldest.
“Today we have 72 positive cases of COVID-19. Nairobi County has the highest with 52 followed by Mombasa which has 11, Kiambu 7, Isiolo and Turkana 1 each,” she said
The government has also had 9 more recoveries today bringing the total number to 402. Unfortunately, one more person has died and this means we have now lost 52 patients.
The positive cases are spread in the following counties; Nairobi fifty-two (52) cases, Mombasa eleven (11); Kiambu seven (7), Isiolo one (1) and Turkana one (1).
Turkana, the CAS said, becomes the latest county to record a case and this brings to 29 the counties that have reported Covid-19 cases.
In terms of breakdown by sub-counties, cases in Nairobi are distributed as follows; Langata (21) cases; Dagoretti North (15); Kamukunji and Kibra four (4) cases each, Embakasi East two (2), Kasarani three (3), Dagoretti South one (1), Makadara and Mathare one case (1) each.
In Mombasa, the cases are from; Nyali four (4), Mvita three (3), Kisauni three (3) and Changamwe one (1).
The seven (7) cases in Kiambu County are from Limuru two (2) and one (1) case each from Githunguri, Kabete, Ruiru, Thika and Kikuyu. Isiolo has one (1) case from mandatory quarantine, while Turkana has one case from Kakuma.
Dr. Mwangangi emphasized on the importance of a healthy diet in strengthening body immune systems, to fight diseases and to speed up recovery.
“Individuals with underlying conditions and those that are malnourished are at a greater risk of various infections, including viral infections, such as Covid-19. It is very important that we all pay great attention to what we eat, especially during this time of the on-going Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.
Dr. Mwangangi noted that when the Covid-19 campaign started, the country had only two testing laboratories but now there are over 20 facilities strategically located in critical areas across the country and this has reduced turnaround time from sample collection to receipt of the results. “Our Plan is to have a testing facility in every County,” she said
“We have trained a total of 11,000 healthcare workers and 60,000 community health workers across the 47 counties and this number has enhanced our human resource capacity in our health facilities,” Dr. Mwangangi explained.
On Nutrition and safety of food, Dr. Kepha Ombacho, Director of Public Health said food is a critical component on management of Covid-19 and that the government is aware of the need for more food.
He added that there is a standing committee in place at the Agriculture Ministry that is addressing issues of food safety and food security according to international standards and the food is subjected to standards using the protocols on movement that are in place.
By Wangari Ndirangu
