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The death toll from Covid-19 is now worrying the government after five more people succumbed to the disease on a day the highest number of cases was recorded.
Some 389 people tested positive yesterday, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 7,577. This is the highest figure since the first case was reported on March 13, 2020.
The 389 are from a sample size of 4,829. The highest sample size tested by the government is 6,024 and this resulted to 213 positive cases, lower number of cases compared to what was reported yesterday.
The high number of cases and the subsequent increasing death toll that now stands at 159 puts the country’s capacity to a test in terms of its ability to handle critical patients.
Short supply
The additional five deaths come just a day after Ministry of Health reported highest number of patients in critical care, 29. On June 27, 2020 this number was 18.
It is the same day concern had been raised among medics that critical care beds were in short supply, mainly in Nairobi as Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenyatta University National Hospital and Mbagathi Hospital (managed by KNH) are full with both critical and asymptomatic cases.
A home-based care programme, which was expected to offload patients might not be of help in such a scenario. This is because the programme is only for asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases, which do not require critical care services that involve Intensive Care Unit, oxygen supplement and ventilatory support.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe yesterday noted this trend of deaths, saying the numbers are too many.
“From the statistics, it is indicative that we have lost too many lives already. We cannot afford to lose more,” said the CS. The 159 deaths now put the country’s case fatality rate at 2.09 per cent lower than Saturday’s 2.29 per cent. Though alarming, it is still lower than the global average of 6.5 per cent.
“We must renew our commitment to observing containment measures, without which, this disease could very easily overrun our health facilities,” said Kagwe.
Kagwe said experts have recited that the number of infections is likely to go up, and correspondingly the number of deaths unless all Kenyans step up efforts against the virus. “It is a fight that must be fought vigorously at the individual level, but also collectively,” said the CS.
Of the 389 cases, Nairobi has highest case load with 248 followed by Kajiado (36), Kiambu (27), Mombasa (23), Busia (17), and Machakos (10).
Counties with less than 10 cases are Migori (9), Kitui (6), Makueni and Uasin Gishu (3), Nakuru and Kilifi (2) each, and one in Garissa, Murang’a and Narok.
Some 88 patients were discharged yesterday, raising number of recoveries to 2,236.
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