Coronavirus cases in Kenya rise to 38 as 7 new infections confirmed

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced 7 new positive cases of coronavirus in the country, bringing the total number of infections to 38.

Speaking at Afya House during a press address on Saturday, CS Kagwe said the new COVID-19 infections were part of 81 suspected cases tested at various laboratories in the country within the past 24 hours.

The 7 new cases, all of which he said were recorded in Nairobi County, include three females and 4 males. They are composed of 4 Kenyans, 2 Congolese nationals and 1 Chinese national.

CS Kagwe also said 4 of them had a history of travel from countries with active transmissions of the disease while one had been to Mombasa and the other two are contacts of previous cases.

The CS however also came bearing some positive news saying two patients have since tested negative and are set to undergo another test for confirmation.

“Our first patient together with the third patient have tested negative in their first re-testing. A repeat test is scheduled in the next 48 hours; we remain hopeful that the repeat test will be negative, confirming full recovery to allow for their discharge from our treatment centre,” he said.

“All the 7 cases are from Nairobi County…this now puts Nairobi County as leading with 28 cases of those who have so far turned positive; Kilifi has 6, Mombasa has 2, while Kajiado and Kwale have one each.”

According to CS Kagwe, 21 of the total 38 positive cases are male while the remaining 16 are female.

He noted that, out of 1,141 close contacts that were being monitored, 163 have since been been discharged after the 14-day follow up period and the government is presently monitoring 978 more.