Nairobi and Mombasa Counties have lately registered the highest infection rates of COVID-19 with both scoring 1551.7 and 866.3 per 100,000 population respectively.
This is in comparison to the national ratio of 307.3 out of 100,000 samples submitted for testing
The Ministry of Health released the statistics on Covid 19 status indicates that the two cities were worst affected but further indicated that the pandemic had spread in all corners of the nation.
The report indicates that the distribution of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases by Presentation and Presentation of Symptoms among Symptomatic cases has seen that of the 14,6156 confirmed cases, 12,325(8 percent) presented with symptoms, Cough at 55 percent and Fever at 38 percent which were predominant presenting symptoms.
“Risk communication, laboratory testing, and contact tracing have been identified as the key challenges”, the statement says
So far, according to the data, 143,563 which is 98 percent of the 146,154 confirmed cases are local transmissions.
According to the data, in the last 24 hours, 2989 samples have also been tested across various laboratories of which Four hundred and eighty-six (486) samples turned positive for COVID-19 and a total of 1,564,827 cumulative tests have so far been conducted.
When it comes to fatalities, the total number of deaths reported since the beginning of the outbreak is 2368, case fatality rate (CFR) is 1.6 percent and so far, 1645 (69 percent) being males and 723 (31 percent) were females.
As of today, forty-seven (47) counties have reported cases namely: Nairobi (68,231), Mombasa (10,468), Kiambu (9,816), Nakuru (7,540), Uasin Gishu (4,441), Machakos (4,220), Kajiado (4,145), Kilifi (3,308), Busia (3,300), Kisumu (2,840), Kericho (2,017),
Those who have reported below 2,000 are, Meru (1,823), Nyeri (1,622), Turkana (1,468), Kitui (1,359), Kakamega (1,347), Laikipia (1,299), Bungoma (1,199), Murang’a (1,160), Kisii (1,146), Migori (1,043) and Trans Nzoia (1009),
Below 1000 are Garissa (921), Nandi (814), Taita Taveta (784), Embu (767), Makueni (758), Nyandarua (746), Siaya (744), Kirinyaga (621), Narok (563) and Bomet (515),
Below 500 people who succumbed are Kwale (482), Nyamira (476), Homa Bay (415), Baringo (407), Tharaka Nithi (338), Lamu (330), Isiolo (304), Vihiga (231), Samburu (211), West Pokot (206), Mandera (187), Marsabit (177), Elgeyo Marakwet (157), Tana River (106), and Wajir (92).
On Vaccination, Kenya launched the Covid-19 vaccination campaign on 5th March 2021 and Vaccination is ongoing in all 47 counties.
The 1,120,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Vaccine that the country got through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility has seen a total of 526,026 persons vaccinated targeting frontline workers, teachers, security officers, and those above 58years of age.
“Fifty-six (56 percent) of those vaccinated were males and 44 percent female and a total of 263 Advance Event Following immunization (AEFI) have been reported and fatality reported so far”, statement says
According to the Ministry of Health, response efforts continue to be coordinated through a whole government and multi-agency approach following Executive Order No. 2 of 2021 issued by His Excellency the President on 26th March 2021.
On the case Management and Infection Prevention & Control, the ministry says that in the last 24 hours, 115 COVID-19 patients 61 and health facilities and 54 at Home Based Care, recovered and were discharged bringing the total number of recoveries and discharges for COVID to 99,210, at Facility level 27,095 and at Home based 72,115.
Currently, there are also 248 COVID-19 cases admitted in the intensive care unit; 169 on supplemental oxygen; 48 on ventilatory support, and 31 are under observation.
The third wave of Covid 19 in the country was officially announced in the second week of March seeing raft measures instituted by President Uhuru Kenyatta and seeing both public and private institutions affected by confirmed cases and even deaths.
By Wangari Ndirangu
