418 people test positive for Covid-19 as cases clock 13,771

The Ministry of Health has announced an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases by 418 after 2,474 samples were tested in the past 24 hours.

Total cases now stand at 13,771 out of the 246, 361 tested so far. Four people died of the Coronavirus disease bringing the cumulative death toll to 238 since the virus was first detected here on March 13, 2020.

In the new positive cases, 408 of them are Kenyans while 10 are foreigners. Also, 155 were females while 263 were males. A year-year-old child was among the people who tested positive. The oldest patient was 86 years old.

494 patients were reported as having recovered out of which 465 were on home-based care, and the remaining 29 from in hospitals.

The total number of recoveries now stands at 5,616.

In the daily Covid-19 infection status update, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Rashid Aman (pictured above) spent part of his address highlighting the hotspots of the disease in the country. He said Nairobi, Mombasa and other border counties like Migori and Kajiado are still pulsating with danger after registering higher daily numbers.

Dr Aman pleaded with Kenyans to continue observing the safety guidelines to help contain the surging infections. He was categorical that despite Nairobi posting a higher number of cases; there was a rampant culture of laxity among the city's dwellers.

He said: “I’m saddened that particularly here in Nairobi, a lot of people do not seem to take care.”

“Let us not behave like doubting Thomases until we are directly affected to act.”

Dr Aman lashed at the political leaders who have disregarded the safety rules through their organised social gatherings. He also warned against the stigmatisation of the disease saying that such behaviour jeopardises the gains made in fighting the virus.

“Covid-19 does not make any distinction on who it will affect…there is no reason, therefore, to treat this disease and stigmatise it,” he said. 

The disease which was first noted in Kenya on March 13 has since spread to over 40 counties. The government swiftly moved to impose health safety such as dusk to dawn curfew, travel restrictions which were later lifted and ban on the social gathering.

Review of measures

The continued increase in infection comes ahead of a meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and governors on Friday later this week to discuss and possibly review the Covid-19 guidelines in place.

On July 6, the President announced phased reopening of the economy which led to reopening of places of worship and the lifting of cessation of movements in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa and Kwale counties; and resumption of local flights.

But he cautioned against the possible return of lockdowns if the situation would deteriorate.

“Should the situation deteriorate and pose a challenge to our health systems. We will have to revert back to the lockdown. For the next 21 days, we will study the patterns of interactions and spread of disease, any trends that signal to worsen of the pandemic, we will have no choice but to return to lockdown at zero option,” he said.