Covid-19: tally rises to 38,115 after 244 new cases

Kenya has recorded 244 more Covid-19 positive cases in the past 24 hours raising the country's total caseload to 38,115.

In a statement sent to media houses by the Ministry of Health on Sunday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe (pictured) said the new cases are from 3,707 samples which push the country’s cumulative tests to 540, 308.

In terms of gender, 157 are male and 87 are female while the youngest case is three-month-old and the oldest is aged 85.

Of the new cases, 228 are Kenyans while 16 are foreigners.

On a positive note, 40 patients recovered with 30 on the home-based care programme while 10 were discharged from various hospitals bringing the total number of recoveries to 24, 621.

On a sad note, Kagwe said two patients died from Covid-19 bringing Kenya’s fatalities to 691.

Nairobi leads with 63 cases, Nakuru 58, Kisii 23, Garissa 16, Kisumu 14, Mombasa 13, Kiambu 10, Busia 9, Trans Nzoia 7, Turkana 6, Kajiado 5, Kericho 5, Uasin Gishu 2, Narok 2, akipia 2, Siaya 2.

Kakamega, Marsabit, Bungoma, Meru, Muranga, Nyeri and Tharaka Nithi recorded one case each.

In Nairobi the 63 cases are from Starehe (13) Dagoretti North (9), Embakasi East (8), Westlands (7), Kasarani (5), Dagoretti South (4), Kibra and Langata (3) cases each, Embakasi South, Embakasi West, Kamkunji and Ruaraka (2) cases each, Makadara, Mathare and Roysambu (1) case each.

In Nakuru County, the 58 cases are from Nakuru East (39), Naivasha (9), Nakuru West and Rongai (30 cases each, Njoro (2), Subukia and Gilgil (1) case each.

In Garissa, the 16 cases are from Garissa Town (15) while Daadab (1) case.

In Kisumu County, the 14 cases are from Kisumu Central (6), Kisumu East (5) and Nyando (3).

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

The 13 cases in Mombasa are from Jomvu and Nyali (4) each, Mvita (3) and Kisauni (2).

In Kiambu, the 10 cases are from Thika (6), Kiambaa (2), Kikuyu and Ruiru (1) case each.

From this, the positivity rate is 4.01 per cent, which is still below five per cent threshold the World Health Organisation has set to show the pandemic is under control.

The others are the number of deaths, patients in the intensive care unit, and the percentage of those who turn positive.

The least number of cases reported this month is 48 which was on September 14.

September has also seen three days without any reported deaths signifying some wins in the fight against the pandemic. In the latest update, Nairobi leads with 68 cases followed by Kisii with 28.

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.