Nairobi, Mombasa, Kajiado hotspots for Covid-19 asymptomatic cases

Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr Mercy Mwangangi addressing the media at Afya House in Nairobi during the updates on the coronavirus pandemic May 14, 2020. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Fifty-nine new cases of Covid-19 have been registered today in Kenya bringing the total number of infections in the country to 4,797.

According to the Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi, Nairobi, Mombasa, Busia and Kajiado have experienced rising numbers with a majority being asymptomatic cases.

The Ministry of Health will now include Community Non-Governmental Organizations in its mobilization plans as a strategy to counter myths and misconceptions about the virus within the community level.

“The approach will be complemented with the 59,000 trained community health volunteers that have been deployed across the country and have so far reached 12 million households, “said the CAS.

Out of the 59 registered new cases, Nairobi leads by 28, Mombasa 21, Kilifi 3, Kiambu 2, Machakos 2, Kisii 1, Bungoma 1 and Uasin Gishu 1.

All cases are Kenyans, 47 being male and 12 female.

The ministry tested 2,354 samples in the last 24 hours bringing to total cumulative samples tested now at 142,366.

Seventy-three more people have however been discharged bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,680.

However, two others succumbed to the Covid-19 disease in the last 24 hours raising the death toll to 125.

The Ministry recently introduced the home-based care approach as a measure to decongest hospitals. According to Mwangangi, such an approach is handy having in mind that the hospitals have other conditions that need to be given attention to.

“We are still experiencing a huge pile-up of trucks at our borders especially at Busia. This is mostly caused by drivers who are flouting the Ministry’s guidelines. The truck drivers must have a Covid-19 test 48 hours before the journey.”

Kenya is now past 100 days in dealing with the pandemic since the first case was confirmed in Mid-March.