Covid-19 cases up by 711 but only 1.86 per cent of Kenyans tested

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.

Some 576 patients have recovered from Covid-19 as the country records a total of 711 new positive cases in the last 24 hours. 

The new cases from 6,672 tests raise the number of coronavirus cases in the country to 83,316.

Six out of the seven days this week, the country has recorded cases under the 1000-mark and only crossing the mark on Friday when 1,554 cases were recorded. 

The lowest case this week was recorded on Monday, November 23 when the country recorded 413 positive cases.

Out of the 576 recoveries, 469 are from the Home-Based Care Programme, while 107 have been discharged from various hospitals. 

“The total recoveries now stand at 54,975,” read a tweet by the Ministry of Health.

The cumulative number of tests conducted now stand at 885,933, which translates to 1.86 per cent of the population of 47.6 million.

Unfortunately, seven patients have succumbed to the disease, bringing the fatality to 1,452.

However, 1,262 patients still remain admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 7,806 are on Home Based Isolation and Care. Sixty-eight others patients are in Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 42 of whom are on ventilatory support, and 24 on supplemental oxygen.

“Another 96 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen out of whom 73 are in general wards. 23 are in High Dependency Unit (HDU),” reads an update by the MOH on Twitter.

Distribution
Thirty-six counties have recorded at least one new case with Nairobi and Mombasa leading in the number of new infections.

Nairobi has recorded 190 cases, Mombasa 88, Nakuru 78, Nyandarua 35, Murang’a 34, Kitui 30, Machakos 28, Nyeri 27, Embu 25, Busia 21, Kiambu 17, Vihiga 16, Kisumu 13, Kilifi 11, Isiolo 11, Meru 10, Turkana 10, Kirinyaga 9, Bungoma 9, Laikipia 8, Kakamega 7, Kajiado 6, Kwale 5, Homa-Bay 5, Makueni 4, Kisii 2, Uasin Gishu 2, Migori 2, Nandi 1,  Samburu 1, Kericho 1, Tharaka Nithi 1, Baringo 1, Taita Taveta 1, Lamu 1 and Bomet 1.

Even though statistics continue showing Nairobi as the most prone to Covid-19 transmission and infection, there has been questions from the public addressing the need of disclosing the number of tests conducted in each county lest the statistics provided paint a fallacious picture of the infection trends in the counties.