Health CS Kagwe: We are not overwhelmed

The national government is looking into new strategies to tame rising Covid-19 cases, the Health chief has said.

Speaking on KTN News on Sunday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the country is experiencing its second wave of coronavirus.

On whether the Kenyan healthcare system is overwhelmed, the CS said it is not, adding that too much attention is put on a few private hospitals.

"Some hospitals are being overwhelmed, but the country is not." He said the country's bed occupancy is at 15 per cent.

The health docket chief said there is a need to ensure healthcare facilities are not overrun. Further, more patients who are asymptomatic are placed on the home-based care, a system which the government is practising to reduce the pressure on health facilities.

However, CS Kagwe called for "serious discipline" when being quarantined at home.

The month of October has seen a surge in the number of deaths as well as new infections. The older population was also hardest hit.

Kagwe linked this to the cold weather and the suppressed immunity of the aged. About 80 per cent of those who succumbed are aged above 40s. Youth tend to be the carriers who take it to the aged who end up dying.

Some counties have recorded increased numbers of Covid-19, a matter Kagwe attributed to poor planning as the national government already released funds and PPEs.

Kagwe's comments come on the backdrop of 719 people who tested positive for coronavirus in Kenya in the last 24 hours.

In a statement on Sunday, CS Kagwe said the over 700 tested positive for the virus from a sample size of 4,732.

The positive cases now push the national tally to 62,488. From the positive cases, 685 are Kenyans and 34 are foreigners.

The youngest of the positive cases is a five-month-old infant, while the oldest is 81.

The rising numbers have been linked to residents' fatigue on dealing with the pandemic as well as the laxity in implementing measures set aside by the Ministry of Health to reduce virus spread.

Some of the rules include public transport vehicles carrying at half capacity. However, a spot check shows not all matatu crew observe the half capacity regulation.