Covid-19: Kenya records 218 new cases, 13 fatalities

Kenya has recorded 218 more Covid-19 positive cases in the past 24 hours raising the country's total caseload to 37,707.

In a statement sent to media houses by the Ministry of Health on Friday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe (pictured) said the new cases are from 5,424 samples which push the country’s cumulative tests to 532, 729.

In terms of gender, 159 are male and 84 are female while the youngest case is one-year-old and the oldest is aged 78.

Of the new cases, 210 are Kenyans while 8 are foreigners.

On a positive note, 170 patients recovered with 79 on the home-based care programme while 91 were discharged from various hospitals bringing the total number of recoveries to 24, 504.

On a sad note, Kagwe said 13 patients died from Covid-19 bringing Kenya’s fatalities to 682.

Nairobi leads with 68 cases, Kisii 28, Mombasa 21, Kisumu 19, Kiambu 13, Kajiado 11,  Busia 10, Machakos 8, Tharaka Nithi 6, Garissa 6, Taita Taveta 5, Nakuru 4, Uasin Gishu 3, Narok 2, Laikipia 2, Kericho 2.

Homa Bay, Muranga, Bomet, Kilifi, Makueni, Migori, Nyandarua, and Nyeri recorded one case each.

In Nairobi the 68 cases are from Starehe and Westlands (7) cases, Langata (6), Embakasi West (5), Dagoretti North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi East, Embakasi South, Kibra, Makadara and Roysambu (4) cases each, Dagoretti South, Kasarani and Ruaka (3) cases each, Embakasi North, Kamkunji, Mathare (2) cases each.

In Kisii County, the 208 cases are from Kitutu Chache South (27), and Kitutu Chache North (1).

The 21 cases in Mombasa are from Jomvu (15), Kisauni (3), Mvita (2) and Nyali (1) cases.

In Kisumu County, the 19 cases are from Kisumu Central and Kisumu East (8) cases each and Nyando (3).

In Kiambu, the 13 cases are from Kikuyu (4), Ruiru Githunguri, Kabete and Lari (2) case each, Kiambu town, Limuru and Ruiru (1) case each.

In Kajiado the 11 cases are from Kajiado North (7) and Kajiado East (4).

In Busia, the 10 cases are from Matayos (7), Teso North (2) and Nambale (1) case

Vaccine trial

This comes as Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) is set to recruit 400 volunteers for Covid-19 vaccine trial from October 1.

The institute said a few housekeeping issues are still being worked on before the process begins.

“We have received all the required national approvals and now we are pursuing consent from the study sites and then we are good to go,” says Kemri Director-General Yeri Kombe.

This will make Kenya the second country in the continent after South Africa to engage in Covid-19 vaccine trial.

The study will be carried out at the Kilifi County Hospital, but other sites in Mombasa County may be included as the work progresses.