20 deaths as 1,027 more people test positive for Covid-19

Kenya has today Saturday, April 17, 2021, reported a total of 151,287 cases of Coronavirus.

This is after 1,027 more people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe in a statement said the new cases are from a sample size of 7,184 representing a positivity rate of 14.3 per cent.

This is evident that Kenya still has a long way to go in flattening the curve as the 14.3 per cent positivity rate is nine per cent above the allowable five per cent ceiling set by WHO.

Kagwe said from the cases 1,009 are Kenyans while 18 are foreigners with 600 being males and 427 females.

The youngest is a two-month-old baby while the oldest is 110 years.

So far, cumulative tests conducted stand at 1,599,668 since the first case was reported in the country in March 2020.

Kagwe said unfortunately 20 people have succumbed to the disease raising the total number of fatalities to 2,463.

He said of the new deaths reported, eight occurred on diverse dates within the last one month while 12 are deaths reported after conducting facility record audits.

On a positive note, Kagwe said 382 patients have recovered from the disease bringing the total number of recoveries to 101,362.

Of the new recoveries, 267 are from the Home-Based and Isolation Care while 115 are from various facilities across the country.

He said 73,598 people have recovered from the Home Based Care and Isolation while 27,764 are from various health facilities.

Kagwe said some 1,653 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities across the country while 5,798 are on Home Based Isolation and Care.

Out of the 264 patients who are currently admitted in the Intensive Care Unit, 55 are on ventilatory support and 161 on supplemental oxygen while 48 are under observation.

The CS said another 239 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 224 of them being in general wards and 15 in the High Dependency Unit - HDU.

Of the new infections, Nairobi County leads with 315 cases followed by Uasin Gishu with 94 cases, Nakuru and Kiambu 69 cases each, Kericho 37, Mombasa 35, Machakos, Kirinyaga and Meru Counties 30 cases each.

While Taita Taveta County has 27 cases, Trans Nzoia has 25, Kakamega 23, Embu 20, Nyandarua 16, Vihiga, Kisumu and Kilifi 15 cases each, Busia14, Murang'a and Kajiado 13 cases each and Bungoma 12 cases.

Migori County has 11 cases, Nyeri 10, Laikipia, Siaya and Garissa nine cases each, Kitui, Makueni, Marsabit eight cases each, Nandi seven cases, Nyamira six cases, Homa Bay, Mandera, Bomet four cases each, Kisii three, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Tana River and Tharaka Nithi each two cases.

Turkana and West Pokot counties each have one case.