Kagwe: Coronavirus cases surpass 9,000 as first doctor succumbs

Eight more people have died from COVID-19 in Kenya within the last 24 hours raising the death toll to 181.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said one of those who succumbed to the virus was a medical doctor from Nairobi.

“We have today for the first time lost a medical doctor to the coronavirus disease. I’m deeply saddened by this particularly because she contracted the virus while working to save the lives of others who had contracted the virus,” he said.

According to the CS, the doctor died at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi from where she had been admitted to on Monday night.

“It is always painful when life is lost and even more painful when it is a frontline worker and more so when it comes in the line of duty. On behalf of the government I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to her family and on behalf of the fellow healthcare workers who are within my ministry and county governments I also say pole sana,” CS Kagwe said.

It is a sad day for the KOGS family. May her soul rest in peace pic.twitter.com/hzjvkffxQC

— Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (@TheKOGSociety) July 10, 2020

He intimated that he had spoken to family members of the deceased and then asked those who were at the Press briefing to observe a minute of silence.

According to the Health CS, other diseases that Kenyans are grappling with such as high Blood Pressure (HBP), diabetes, chronic respiratory tract conditions make them more vulnerable to contracting coronavirus.

“They are therefore advised to take extra precaution. You will have noticed as we announced the causes of death from COVID-19 that diabetes is probably the highest in terms of persons who have passed on with underlying issues,” he said.

Kagwe further noted that 473 more people have tested positive for coronavirus raising total number of coronavirus cases in Kenya to 9,448.

The new positive cases are from a sample size of 6,979 tested in the last 24 hours.

324 are male while 149 are female: the youngest is a one-year-old infant and the oldest is 90-years-old.

76 more patients have however been discharged raising the total number of recoveries to 2,734.

The Health CS warned that in the last few weeks, the number of new infections in the country has been steadily rising with 42 out of 47 counties reporting cases in their regions.

Nairobi leads with 5,188 followed by Mombasa County that has 1,720 coronavirus cases. Kilifi stands at 10th position with 71 infections and 45 discharges.

“However, with the opening of the country we must acknowledge that this state of affairs can change and the number of infections are likely to increase,” Kagwe said.

He added that to keep the number of infections from spreading, Kenyans must not let their guard down but to continue to strictly observe containment measures.