Another 426 people have tested positive for the coronavirus, raising the national tally to 31, 441.

The Ministry of Health reports that it tested 5,158 samples in the last 24 hours, pushing the country’s cumulative tests to 407,610.

Announcing the new cases, Health CAS Dr Mercy Mwangangi (pictured) also said that all new cases are Kenyans except nine.

The youngest case is a three-month-old infant while the oldest is 88 years.

An additional 257 patients have recovered from the disease, with 195 being from the Home-based care programme, while 62 having been discharged from various hospitals.

This now brings the total number of recoveries to 17,869.

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Sadly, 10 more patients have succumbed to the disease, raising Covid-19 fatalities to 516.

As per county distribution, Nairobi is in the lead again with 132 new cases, followed by Kajiado with 63, Kericho-48, Kiambu-24, Machakos-21, Migori-17, Mombasa-16.

Other counties have also registered new cases as follows: Kitui and Laikipia-13 each, Nakuru and Kisumu 11 each, Uasin Gishu-10, Tharaka Nithi-8, Nyeri and Busia with 7 each, Makueni-6, Kilifi-4, Garissa and Nyandarua three cases each. Isiolo and Embu registered two cases each, while Meru, Kirinyaga, Kakamega, Baringo and Lamu counties have one case each.

Flattening the Curve?

The worry on every Kenyan’s mind is whether the country is able to flatten the coronavirus curve, almost six months in.

Statistics from the Health Ministry show that Kenya has conducted a total of 383,132 tests, with over 31,000 confirmed cases.

According to the CAS, therefore, the current positivity rate stands at 7.9 per cent, an increase from the 2 per cent at the beginning of the outbreak.

“The curve is not flattening, instead it is peaking,” Dr Mwangangi said.

“Global benchmarks by World Health Organization (WHO) advise a 5 per cent or lower for at least 14 days, as a measure of the decline of the pandemic,” she added.

Further, the ministry has also urged parents and guardians to ensure their children have received the HPV vaccine, as it turns focus to immunization services, which it says are ongoing and available across health facilities in the country.