Covid-19: Kenya records 243 new case in last 24 hours

 

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe at a past ministry's briefing. [File, Standard]

Kenya has recorded 243 more Covid-19 positive cases in the past 24 hours raising the country's total caseload to 39, 427.

In a statement sent to media houses by the Ministry of Health on Sunday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the new cases are from 4,385 samples which push the country’s cumulative tests to 563, 483.

In terms of gender, 141 are male and 69 are female while the youngest case is four-month-old and the oldest is aged 80.

Of the new cases, 237 are Kenyans while six are foreigners.

On a positive note, 233 patients recovered with 219 on the home-based care programme while 14 were discharged from various hospitals bringing the total number of recoveries to 26, 659.

On a sad note, Kagwe said three patients died from Covid-19 bringing Kenya’s fatalities to 731.

Distribution

Nairobi lead with 70 cases followed by Nakuru 44, Trans Nzoia 30, Kisumu 15, Mombasa 15, Narok 13, Kiambu 11, Kericho 10, Kakamega 7, Machakos 6, Isiolo 4, Kajiado 3, Meru 3, Bungoma 3 and Nandi 3.

Uasin Gishu recorded 2 cases, Bomet 1, Kirinyaga 1, Laikipia 1 and Kili? 1.

The 70 cases in Nairobi originated from Starehe (28), Lang’ata (12), Kasarani (6), Kibra and Westlands (5) cases each, Embakasi West (3), Dagoretti North and Kamukunji (2) cases each, Dagoretti South, Embakasi East, Embakasi North, Embakasi South, Makadara, Roysambu and Ruaraka (1) case each

In Nakuru, the 44 cases emerged from Naivasha (20), Nakuru East (12), Nakuru West (7), Rongai (4) and Nakuru North (1).

In Trans Nzoia, the 30 cases came from Saboti (29) and Kiminini (1

In Kisumu, the 15 cases emerged from Kisumu Central (11), Kisumu East and Nyando (2) cases each while in Mombasa, the 15 cases were from Jomvu (11) and Mvita (4).

In Narok, the 13 cases originated from Narok North (7), Trans Mara East (4), Narok East and Narok South (1) case each.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Kenyans are asking questions around flu vaccine shots and if the SARS-CoV-2 virus is evolving are from the Covid-19 helpline.

A situational analysis report from the ministry also lists doctors as frequent callers, mainly to complain that county hotline numbers are not being picked.

Such explains why contact tracing has dropped considering the tasks have been left to counties and sub-counties, which according to the report, have no money.

“Inadequate resources for operations at the sub-national level for Covid-19 surveillance activities is glaring leading to demotivation of staff,” reads the report dated September 29.

The other challenges, according to the report, are a shortage of personal protective equipment and reagents at Covid-19 laboratories.