COVID-19: Kenya records 278 new cases, 89 recoveries and 2 deaths

COVID-19: Kenya records 278 new cases, 89 recoveries and 2 deaths

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Wednesday announced that the country’s COVID-19 infections rose to 8,528 after 278 more patients tested positive for the disease.

CS Kagwe said 3,053 samples were tested within the last 24 hours, taking the total number of tests conducted since the pandemic struck the country to 196,508.

The CS also said 89 patients have since been discharged from various health facilities within the same period, hence the number of recoveries rose to 2,593.

He however expressed remorse that two others had succumbed to the coronavirus, taking the tally of fatalities in the country to 169.

CS Kagwe spoke when he toured Makueni to assess their COVID-19 preparedness saying the county has recorded 44 cases since the first case was reported in March.

He commended the Governor Kivutha Kibwana-led government for achieving the 300-bed capacity as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and for aiming higher towards over 800 beds.

He further added that 257 healthcare workers – 4 of them in Makueni – have tested positive from COVID-19 while in their line of duty in the country.

He sought to reassure the health personnel that the government will step up efforts to protect them, also lauding them for their efforts in combating the spread of the disease thus far.

“For those who have been exposed, I want to assure them that the government is committed to ensuring that all our frontline soldiers are protected at all times by making available the necessary PPEs and other commodities as they manage our patients,” he said.

“There can never be a higher calling by an individual than what you are currently doing. As a nation we are indebted to you. We have hired 252 healthcare personnel of all cadres to boost human resource capacity, and the process of hiring another 110 is ongoing.”

He further stated: “As a ministry, we have received tremendous support from different individuals and organizations, both public and private. The logistical resources needed to get us where we are today have been enormous, and out of their goodwill we can confidently say that we are in a much better position at our level of readiness.”

Tags:

COVID-19 coronavirus CS Mutahi Kagwe Governor Kivutha Kibwana makueni county

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories