COVID-19: Kenya records 346 new cases, 10 deaths as positivity rate at 9.7%

The Ministry of Health on Monday announced that 346 people tested positive for COVID-19 from a sample size of 3,553 tested in the last 24 hours.

The positivity rate is now at 9.7%, with total confirmed infections rising to 235,298 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 2,367,077.

From the cases, 333 are Kenyans while 13 are foreigners; 185 are females and 161 are males, while the youngest is a three-month-old infant and the oldest is 95 years.

The new cases were recorded across various counties namely; Nairobi 201, Nakuru 38, Murang’a 14, Machakos 10, Kiambu 9, Uasin Gishu 9, Kajiado 8, Kitui 7, Mandera 6, Nyandarua 5, Trans Nzoia 4, Embu 4, Garissa 4, Tana River 4, Bungoma 3, Laikipia 3, Makueni 3, Mombasa 3, Siaya 2, Kakamega 2, Vihiga 1, West Pokot 1, Meru 1, Kericho 1, Elgeyo Marakwet 1, Nyeri 1 and Taita Taveta 1.

The ministry also said 1,404 patients recovered from the disease with 1,327 from the Home-Based Isolation and Care program while 77 were discharged from various health facilities countrywide. Total recoveries stand at 222,357.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe further noted that 10 patients succumbed to the disease, all of them being late deaths reported after conducting facility record audits on diverse dates in August 2021. This pushes the cumulative fatalities to 4,720.

“A total of 1,951 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 5,924 are under the Home-Based Isolation and Care program,” said CS Kagwe in a statement.

“148 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 108 of whom are on ventilatory support and 36 on supplemental oxygen. 4 patients are under observation.”

He added: “Another 833 patients are separately on supplemental oxygen with 757 of them in general wards and 79 in High Dependency Units (HDU).”

The ministry also noted that a total of 2,752,266 vaccines had been administered across the country as of August 29, 2021. Of these, total first doses are 1,949,340 while second doses are 802,926.

The uptake of the second dose among those who received their first dose is at 41.2% with the majority being males at 55% while females are at 45%.  Proportion of adults fully vaccinated is 2.95%.

The uptake of the second dose by Priority Groups is as follows: Aged 58 years and above 239,461; Others 239,962; Health Workers 133,898; Teachers 122,349; while Security Officers are at 67,256.