1,018 people test positive for COVID-19 in Kenya; 13 deaths recorded

The Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced that 1,018 people tested positive for COVID-19 from a sample size of 9,347 tested in the last 24 hours.

The positivity rate is now at 10.9%, with total confirmed infections at 236,881 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 2,380,918.

From the cases, 995 are Kenyans while 23 are foreigners; 522 are females while 496 are males, while the youngest is an 11-month-old baby and the oldest is 103 years.

The new cases were recorded across various counties namely; Nairobi 287, Kiambu 114, Baringo 60, Nakuru 55, Embu 49, Murang’a 46, Uasin Gishu 31, Makueni 30, Garissa 29, Busia 25, Kilifi 25, Nyeri 24, Mombasa 24, Machakos 22, Taita Taveta 22, Nandi 21, Kajiado 19, Nyandarua 14, Kirinyaga 13, Turkana 13, Kitui 12, Kakamega 12, Kericho 11, Noma Bay 8, Tana River 7, Laikipia 6, Narok 6, Lamu 6, Trans Nzoia 5, Meru 4, Isiolo 4, Elgeyo Marakwet 3, Kwale 2, Migori 2, Marsabit 2, West Pokot 2, Kisumu 1, Siaya 1 and Bungoma 1.

The ministry also noted that 633 patients recovered from the coronavirus disease; 493 from the Home-Based Isolation and Care program while 140 were discharged from various health facilities countrywide. Total recoveries hence stand at 224,270.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe however stated that 13 patients however succumbed to COVID-19, all of them being late deaths reported after conducting facility record audits in August 2021. This pushes the cumulative fatalities to 4,739.

“A total of 1,866 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 4,988 are under the Home-Based Isolation and Care program,” said CS Kagwe in a statement to newsrooms.

“160 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 99 of whom are on ventilatory support and 50 on supplemental oxygen. 11 patients are under observation.”

He added that : “Another 758 patients are separately on supplemental oxygen with 684 of them in general wards and 74 in High Dependency Units (HDU).”

The CS further stated that a total of 2,792,309 vaccines had so far been administered across the country as of August 31, 2021.

Of these, he stated, total first doses are 1,985,905 while second doses are 806,404. The uptake of the second dose among those who received their first dose is at 40.6% with the majority being males at 55% while females are at 45%. Proportion of adults fully vaccinated is 2.96%.

The uptake of the second dose by Priority Groups is as follows: Others 241,418; Aged 58 years and above 240,096; Health Workers 134,387; Teachers 122,879; while Security Officers are at 67,624.