Kenya's Covid-19 caseload up by 1,412

Kenya has today recorded 1,412 total Covid-19 cases, pushing the national caseload to 134,058.

Speaking at Afya House on Wednesday, Health CAS Dr Mercy Mwangangi (pictured) said the cases were from a sample size of 9,219. The country's positivity rate is now at 15.3 per cent.

From the new cases, 1,324 are Kenyans and 88 are foreigners. The cases also comprise 771 men and 641 women.

The youngest is an eight-month-old infant while the oldest was aged 94.

Regarding recoveries, the country's total is now at 92,679 after 389 patients recovered.

However, the country's fatality tally now stands at 2,153 after six patients succumbed to Covid-19 in Kenya in the last 24 hours.

According to Dr Mwangangi, Kenya has so far vaccinated 67,605 healthcare workers, 11,597 security officers and 19,094 teachers against Covid-19. She urged Kenyans queueing outside healthcare facilities to allow frontline workers and the elderly with underlying issues to be given priority.

She said Sputnik V has received emergency use authorisation by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board and in 65 other countries.

"We continue to regulate it and set criteria with the private sector," Dr Mwangangi added.

She said the Health ministry is further looking into ways to set up a framework on Sputnik V vaccination and how it will be rolled out.

Dr Mwangangi was with representatives from the Iranian embassy, who donated medical equipment such as face masks, thermo guns, diagnostic kits as well as ventillators.

The Health CAS warned medics accused of taking bribes from residents to skip the line before getting the vaccine at select stations.

Others were cautioned against charging residents before getting the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, which the government says should be administered at no charge.

Further, the CAS clarified that cases of facilities lacking vaccines was occasioned by the surge of residents looking to get the vaccine.

Initially, the government had only accounted for frontline workers to get the vaccine, but expanding the scope to those aged above 58 meant some facilities would have fewer doses than had been expected.

The ministry officials urged health facilities through the Chanjo system to report on how many doses have been administered and how much more is required to meet the demand.