271 more people test positive for coronavirus, MOH urges youth to stop reckless behaviour

Kenya’s coronavirus cases have risen to 30,636 after 271 more people tested positive.

Health CAS Rashid Aman said the new cases are from a sample size of 4,019 tested in the last 24 hours.

“178 are male and 93 are female while the youngest is a 1-year-old child,” he said during a Press briefing on Tuesday.

He however noted 208 people have recovered from coronavirus: the total number of recoveries is now 17,368.

Five more people have succumbed from the disease raising the death toll from COVID-19 to 487.

Dr. Aman reiterated that recent infections are among young people and infants saying: “We need to make our message neutral…that this pandemic is a threat to everybody. Before we focused on the elderly but let’s emphasize that this disease is a threat to everybody.”

He added: “We are urging the young people to stop the reckless behavior so that we don’t spread the disease.”

In regards to flattening the curve, the MOH official noted that it is too early for the ministry to make determine if it is coming down.

He explained that the tests being carried out fluctuate and this is partly because of limitations of test kits.

“Indicators on the curve are those people who will be hospitalised and those who will die because of COVID-19,” Dr. Aman said.

Francis Kuria, Head of Public Health, further noted that reduced cased of fatalities but increasing positivity rate is the reason Kenyans must not relent on wearing masks, social distancing and hygiene.

The two MOH officials were accompanied by Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and Garissa Governor Ali Korane.

According to Dr. Gebeyehu, Kenya and its neighbors are experiencing COVID-19 as an added crisis alongside food insecurity and conflict.

“The region is suffering from heavy floods and locusts. We are coordinating resource mobilization from our partners. Member states are working closely and we hope to overcome the problems,” he said.

Governor Korane reiterated the sentiments from the IGAD official saying Garissa hosts many nationalities in Daadab.

He lamented over the county’s rural infrastructure noting its fragility particularly since the pandemic began but expressed confidence that they are prepared to deal with COVID-19.

“PPEs will help in fighting the disease in the (refugee) camps and in Garissa. We have 294 isolation beds and we are going to have another facility with 50 beds,” he said.