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Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe during a past Covid-19 briefing. [File, Standard]
Kenya has recorded 469 new Covid-19 cases, from a sample size of 4,194 tested in the last 24 hours with a positivity rate of 11.2%.
This now brings the total caseloads to 156,318 with cumulative tests so far conducted standing at 1,645,209.
According to the ministry's briefing on Sunday, April 25, 437 of the new cases are Kenyans while 32 are foreigners.
In terms of gender, 300 of the new cases are males while 169 are females with the youngest being a six-month-old infant while the oldest is aged 91.
In terms of recoveries, 304 patients have recovered from the disease, with 187 from the Home-Based and Isolation Care programme while 117 are from various health facilities across the country.
Total recoveries now stand at 106,588 of which 77,604 are from home-based care and isolation while 28,984 are from various health facilities.
On a sad note, 19 patients have succumbed to the virus, one reported in the last 24 hours, 10 on diverse dates, and eight are late deaths reports from health records audits pushing Kenya's total fatalities so far to 2,622.
Admitted
A total of 1,443 patients are currently admitted to various health facilities countrywide, while 6,872 patients are on Home-based isolation and care.
207 patients are in the intensive care unit (ICU), 43 of whom are on ventilatory support and 133 on supplemental oxygen. 31 patients are on observation.
Another 176 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 163 of them in general wards and 13 in High Dependency Unit (HDU)
In terms of county distribution, Nairobi recorded 137 new cases, Mombasa 73, Kilifi 36, Meru 27, Bungoma 26, Kiambu 24, Uasin Gishu 20, Busia 19, Embu 16, Nyeri 15, Kitui 10, Nakuru 10, Kwale 9, Taita Taveta 9, Kajiado 6, Muranga 4, Homa Bay 4, Machakos 3, Kisii 3, Isiolo 2, Kakamega 2, Laikipia 2, Siaya 2, Marakwet 2,
Garissa, Migori, Nandi, Baringo, Trans Nzoia and Kisumu all recorded 1 case each.
Malaria prevalence
This comes after the country recorded a decrease in the general prevalence of Malaria from 8% documented in 2015 to 5.6%.
The report released by the Ministry of Health showed that the Lake Region, which bears the highest disease burden, has reduced its prevalence rate from 27% to 19%.
The Coast region has also seen a drop in prevalence rates from 8% to 4.5%
The report also showed that during the period of 2015 - 2020, there was increased ownership and use of bed nets by communities as well as improved availability and access to recommended malaria treatments.
According to the report, an analysis of data collected from our health facilities shows that since 2016, malaria cases have reduced from 113 per 1,000 of the population to 86 per 1,000 populations.
"The proportion of patients with malaria seeking out-patient services has reduced from 30% to 19% while in-patient admissions have decreased from 20% to 15%," read the report in part.
The ministry, however, said they will scale up efforts to defeat malaria through the introduction of new strategies and applying lessons from countries that have defeated the disease such as Argentina, Cuba and Algeria.
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