Some 59 patients are in ICU, 21 of whom are on ventilatory support and 33 on supplementary oxygen.

The youngest of the positive cases is a five-month-old infant, while the oldest is 81.

However, CS Kagwe called for "serious discipline" when being quarantined at home.

To date 59,595 confirmed cases have been reported with 1,072 Kenyans succumbing to the disease.

In February last year, the NHIF was feared to have lost more than Sh10 billion in false medical claims, investigations showed.

At the same time, 15 have died, pushing the national fatality tally to 996.