COVID-19 in Kenya: Five dead, 246 new cases as caseload rises to 32,803

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday announced that the country’s COVID-19 cases rose to 32,803 after 246 more people tested positive for the disease from 4,149 samples tested within the last 24 hours.

Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Rashid Aman, addressing the daily coronavirus press briefings at Afya House, said five of the 246 are foreign nationals while the remaining are all Kenyans.

The distribution of the cases by counties is as follows; Nairobi 75, Kiarnbu 28, Kisumu 18, Machakos 16, Garissa 13, Lamu 10, Migori 9, Turkana 9, Uasin Gishu 8 Mombasa 7, Taita Taveta 7, Nyeri 6, Kilifi 5, Murang’a 4, Laikipia 4, Kitui 4, Kajiado 3, Kwale 3, Makueni 2, Embu 2, Nakuru 2, Nandi 2, Baringo 2, Bungoma 1, Busia 1, Kakamega 1, Nyamira 1, Tana River 1, Isiolo 1, Tharaka Nithi 1.

The cases in Nairobi are in, Kasarani 8, Embakasi South, Makadara and Westlands have 7 cases each while Embakasi East and Kamukunji have 6 cases each, Dagoretti North, Dagoretti South, Embakasi West, Kibra and Langata have 4 cases each, Mathare and Ruaraka 3 cases each while while Embakasi North, Roysambu, Starehe and Embakasi Central have 2 cases each

Dr. Aman also stated that 170 of the new patients are males and 76 are females, adding that the youngest is 2 years old while the oldest is 77 years of age.

The CAS further revealed that recoveries rose to 19,055 after 160 more patients recovered from the disease; 120 of them were under home-based care.

Five more patients however succumbed to the disease, hence taking the tally of fatalities to 559.

Dr. Aman announced that since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, malaria cases have dropped by at least 100,000.

He argued that this could be because of reasons such as self-medication or fear of being tested for fear of contracting COVID-19 since symptoms of the two diseases are relatively similar.

The CAS however dismissed these as misguided notions and instead urged Kenyans who develop malaria-like symptoms to visit health facilities since failure could lead to death.