Ministry of Health Cabinet Secretary (CS), Mutahi Kagwe, has warned of a possible fourth wave of Covid-19 as the more deadly Indian Variant has been detected in the western region of the country.
Kagwe cautioned Kenyans to be vigilant and take all the laid down measures in the prevention of Covid-19, saying that the Indian Variant is more dangerous than the South African and British variants that we have been dealing with.
“We are asking County Governments to prepare themselves, particularly with the supply of oxygen and piping the hospitals and increasing the capacity over what we currently have,” said Kagwe.
Speaking in Kibra, in an event to mark the end of the Polio vaccination exercise, Kagwe announced that 431 people have tested positive for the Covid-19, from a sample size of 5,846 tested in the last 24 hours.
He said that the positivity rate is now 7.4 per cent and from the cases 410 are Kenyans while 21 are foreigners. 248 are males and 183 females. The youngest is a four-month-old baby while the oldest is 90 years. Total confirmed positive cases are now 169,356 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,792,939.
“In terms of County distribution; Nairobi has 111 cases, Kisumu 67, Siaya 55, Mombasa 38, Migori 20, Kericho 15, Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu 13 cases each, Nakuru 12, Kiambu 11, Kisii and Kajiado 9 cases each, Busia and Homa Bay 8 cases each, Marsabit 7, Nandi 4, Machakos, Meru, Murang’a, Kakamega and Kitui and Taita Taveta 3 cases each, Bomet, Bungoma, Garissa, Kirinyaga and Laikipia 2 cases each, Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi and Kilifi 1 case each,” said Kagwe.
The CS said that in terms of distribution of positive cases by age the cases are 0-9 years (16), 10-19 years (32), 20-29 years (85), 30-39 (96) 40-49 (78) 50 59 (55) 60 years and above (69).
Kagwe said that as at yesterday, 31 patients have recovered from the disease, 23 from the Home Based and Isolation Care Program, while 8 are from various health facilities countrywide. Total recoveries now stand at 115,844 of whom 84,251 are from Home Based Care and Isolation, while 31,593 are from various health facilities.
“Sadly, 10 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, all of them being late deaths, reported from facility record audits conducted within the last one month. This now pushes the cumulative fatalities to 3,097. Our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their loved ones,” said Kagwe.
He added that new deaths by age are 0-9 years (0), 10-19 years (0), 20-29 (0), 30-39 years (0), 40-49 years (0), 50-59 years (2), 60 years and above (8).
“Cumulative deaths by age are 0-9 years (54), 10-19 years (21), 20 29 (106), 30-39 years (252), 40-49 years (392), 50-59 years (652), 60 years and above (1,620),” he said.
Kagwe said that a total of 1,103 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 4,713 patients are under the Home-Based Isolation and Care program. 113 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 24 of whom are on ventilatory support and 65 on supplemental oxygen. 24 patients are under observation.
“Another 98 patients are separately on supplemental oxygen with 91 of them in general wards and 7 in High Dependency Units (HDU),” he said.
Commenting on the Covid-19 vaccination exercise, Kagwe said that as of yesterday, a total of 960,379 persons have so far been vaccinated countrywide. Of these; 291,259 are aged 58 years and above, Others 272,247, Health workers, 164,588, Teachers 151,127, while Security Officers are 81,158.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
