COVID-19: Kenyas positivity rate at 6.3% after 568 people test positive, 15 dead

Kenya has recorded 568 new COVID-19 cases from a sample size of 9,029 tested in the last 24 hours, marking a positivity rate of 6.3%.

In a press briefing on Friday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said this now brings the total confirmed positive cases to 162,666 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,710,414.

“From the cases 551 are Kenyans while 17 are foreigners. 344 are males and 224 are females. The youngest is a one-year-old-infant while the oldest is 105 years,” said the CS.

At the same time, 15 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, 5 having occurred on diverse dates within the last one month and 10 being late death reports from facility record audits.

The 568 new cases are distributed across the country as follows: Nairobi 142, Kilifi 44, Mombasa 38, Kisii 33, Kericho 30, Nyeri 28, Taita Taveta 27, Nakuru 24, Uasin Gishu 22, Tharaka Nithi 19, Kisumu 17, Kiambu 15, Kakamega 13, Siaya 13, Meru 10, Bomet 10, Kajiado 9, Kitui 9, Marsabit 8, Nandi 8, Noma Bay 6, Garissa 5, Embu 4, Murang’a, Trans Nzoia, Machakos and Samburu 3 cases each. Elgeyo Marakwet, Laikipia, Makueni, Migori, Narok, Nyamira, Nyandarua, Turkana and West Pokot 2 cases each. Bungoma, Vihiga, Busia and Kwale 1 case each.

Some 173 patients have recovered from the disease, 130 from the Home Based and Isolation Care, while 43 are from various health facilities countrywide.

“Total recoveries now stand at 110,653 of which 80,316 are from Home Based Care and Isolation while 30,337 are from various health facilities,” added the Health CS.

According to the Health Ministry, a total of 1,086 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 6,381 patients are on Home Based Isolation and Care.

Currently, there are 131 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 28 of whom are on ventilatory support and 83 on supplemental oxygen. 20 patients are on observation.

“Another 111 patients are separately on supplemental oxygen with 103 of them in general wards and 8 in High Dependency Units (HDU),” added the Ministry.

On the ongoing vaccination exercise, as of Friday, May 7 a total of 911,515 people had been vaccinated countrywide.

Of the 911,515 people who have been vaccinated, 531,540 are aged 58 years. The rest who have received the jab include Health workers (160,468), Teachers (142,624) and security officers (76,578).