Kenya has made a step forward in the war against coronavirus after it reported a higher number of daily Covid-19 recoveries and two deaths in the past 24 hours.

The Ministry of Health said 1,062 patients recovered from various treatment facilities, with 983 people being discharged from home-based care and 79 others from the hospitals. A total of 12,961 people have now recovered from the virus.

The country also registered two deaths from the virus. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths still stands at 420, with a mortality rate of 1.6 per cent.

The Ministry of Health also said that 599 people tested positive for the virus in a sample of 4, 420 in the past 24 hours. The caseload now stands at 26,436 after testing cumulative samples of 353,727. 593 patients are Kenyans while the remaining 6 are foreigners.

Speaking during the daily Covid-19 update, Health cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe (pictured above) stated that 763 frontline medical health workers have tested positive for the virus since the disease outbreak in march 13, 2020.

Kagwe was hosted by Kisumu County Governor Prof Anyang Nyong'o in a Covid-19 preparedness assessment tour.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha, who also attended the event in Kisumu exuded confidence that his ministry may revise the policies and open the learning institutions should the cases reduce.

“The position of opening schools was not cast on concrete, should it change, if we flatten the curve it may even come earlier,” Magoha said.

The health CS encouraged Kenyans to continue following the health safety protocols saying that any instance of behaviour could cost lives.

“I’m informed bwana governor that many people in this county are wearing a mask. I urge you to continue,” Kagwe said.

Kagwe called on the counties to issue proper Personal Protective Equipment saying that they are the frontline soldiers depended upon to fight the virus.

Withheld results

He raised concerns about medics who have been concealing families positive Covid-19 results when they lose their loved ones. The CS described this as lack of honesty which could entrench stigma and deal a blow to the fight against the virus.

"It has also been brought to our attention that there is an increasing number of doctors, particularly, those in the private sector, who are undermining the process of protecting families by exploiting their emotions, and colluding with them to ensure that burial rites are observed normally," Kagwe said.

"Some go to the extent of denying valid positive results to family members of people who die from Covid-19 complications, with deadly consequences."

 He added: "When a person succumbs to Covid-19, they do so at their most infectious state, shedding the virus at high levels and therefore, when buried as regular fatalities without the protective measures in place, everyone that is in that environment is exposed."  

The cases were distributed as follows: Nairobi (318), Kiambu (70), Nakuru (39), Machakos (38), Mombasa (28), Kajiado (26), Kericho (14), Isiolo (10), Kisii (9), Kakamega (6), Makueni (5), Kisumu (4), Kitui (4), Murangá (4), Narok (3), Nyandarua (3), Nyeri (3), Kilifi (3), Meru (2) and Busia (2).  Siaya, Trans Nzoia, Wajir, Bomet, Garissa, Marsabit, Nandi and Nyamira had one case each.