Covid-19 deaths near 1,000 mark as 1,185 test positive

Seventeen more patients have succumbed to Covid-19 raising the country's death toll to 981.

Additionally, Kenya has recorded 1,185 new Covid-19 infections in the last 24 hours raising the country's total caseload to 53,797.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Friday announced that the new cases are from a sample size of 9,851. This pushes the country’s cumulative tests to 687,452.

While warning Kenyans that the infections are rising at an alarming rate, Kagwe revealed, there are 1,119 patients admitted in various health facilities countrywide while 4,440 are on home-based isolation and care.

“41 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit. 26 of whom are on ventilatory support and 15 on supplemental oxygen. 45 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen and not in the ICU, while 15 are in High Dependency Unit (HDU),” he said.

As per county distribution, Nairobi is leading with 373 cases, followed by Nakuru and Mombasa with 157 and 118 cases respectively.

Other counties recorded; Kiambu 94, Kisumu 61, Uasin Gishu 51, Kericho 39, Kakamega 38, Kisii 27, Narok 25, Trans Nzoia 22, Bomet 22, Kajiado 20, Siaya 19, Machakos 17, Bungoma 16, Meru 15, Busia 14, Makueni 10, Kilifi 8, Nyandarua 8, Vihiga 6, Nyamira 6, Elgeyo Marakwet 3, Laikipia 3, Homabay 2, Nandi 2, Embu 2, Murang'a 2, Garissa 1, Kitui 1, Taita Taveta 1, Kirinyaga 1 and Kwale 1.

The CS noted that counties that had a very low rate of Covid-19 infections and seemed to be on their way to stamping out the virus, had suddenly made a turn for the worse.

He attributed the surge to failure by a majority of our people to adhere to the Ministry of Health guidelines on the containment of this pandemic.

On a positive note, 272 patients have recovered from the disease, 203 from the Home-Based Care Program, while 69 have been discharged from various hospitals. Total recoveries now stand at 35,876.

Kagwe warned that the health facilities are also likely to be overwhelmed if Kenyans continue disregarding the Covid-19 health protocols put in place like wearing a face mask.

“Just for your information wearing a face mask can protect you against being infected with the virus by up to 70 per cent. I wish to make a passionate appeal and plead with you to save yourself and save our country. The more people get infected the more we are going to have more problems,” he said.