The Country has today recorded 127 positive cases of Covid 19 out of 2,247 samples tested in the last 24 hours bringing the numbers of recovery to the total tally to 2,989.
The overall sample tests that have been conducted in the country so far are 100,683.
Giving an update on Tuesday on the Covid situation in the country, the Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Dr. Rashid Aman said out of the cases today 124 are Kenyans while three are foreigners.
He noted that there are 84 males and 33 female with the youngest being a 3-week old baby while the oldest is aged 72.
“We have discharged 24 patients over the same period after recovering from the coronavirus, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 873, unfortunately we have lost three patients who have succumbed to the disease bringing the total number of fatalities to 88”, Dr. Rashid said.
The CAS added that since the country recorded its first case in March, the numbers have been swelling and today the country is getting to the 3,000 mark.
“According to the experts, our epidemiological curve is rising sharply in many regions, implying that, going forward, we are likely to record increasing numbers of positives and more people requiring clinical management”, he stated.
The CAS however, warned Kenyans on stigmatization of those who have tested positive of the virus saying this must not be tolerated because anyone can be infected
Stigmatizing anyone during a pandemic poses a threat to everyone. Our shared vulnerability to the virus should be a source of solidarity and we must remember at all times, that it is the virus which is the enemy, not people with Covid-19, or those affected by Covid-19”, Dr. Rashid said.
Today’s distribution of the cases in the counties is that Nairobi has 62 cases followed by Mombasa, 34, Busia, 14, Machakos, 4, Bungoma, 3 Kwale, and Uasin Gishu, 1 case each.
By sub-counties, Nairobi cases from; Kibra (21), Westlands (14), Ruaraka (12), Kamukunji, (5), Langata (4), Dagoretti North (3), Makadara, Embakasi South and Embakasi West, (1) case each.
In Mombasa, the cases are from Mvita, (8), Nyali (7), Changamwe (6), Jomvu, (6), Kisauni, (4) and Likoni, (3) cases.
In Busia, all the 14 cases are of truck drivers, at Malaba POE. In Kiambu, the cases are from Thika, (2), Ruiru and Kikuyu, (1) case each.
In Kilifi, the (4) cases are from Kilifi North (2), Kilifi South and Kaloleni, (1) case each. In Machakos, all the (4) cases are from Athi River. In Bungoma, all the (3) cases are of truck drivers from Kanduyi, while the one case in Kwale is from Matuga and the case in Uasin Gishu, is from Kesses.
On the issue of health care workers, Dr. Rashid said that so far 72 of them have contracted the virus from different environments out of which 19 are currently being managed in different health facilities.
This risk of infection, the CAS noted has however not undermined the health care givers commitment to duty and thanked them for their dedication and devotion to serve Kenyans even in the face of being infected.
Dr. Francis Kuria, Director of Public health said that guidance to counties to set aside quarantine and isolation has already been done and so to date he said there are 101 quarantine facilities, 50 isolation centres and 3700 beds
“There is a need to scale up these numbers since according to our projections which indicate there will be a surge of more positives and thus the president’s call of all counties to ensure they have a 300 bed capacity.
The country is now into the 12th week, since the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. The Covid 19 virus carried mainly by human beings has seen countries in the world giving staying at home directives, in order to limit human movement.
By Wangari Ndirangu
