Kenya records 1,488 new COVID-19 infections as positivity rate at 15.2%

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday announced that 1,488 people tested positive for COVID-19 from a sample size of 9,773 tested in the last 24 hours.

The positivity rate is now 15.2%, with total confirmed infections at 222,894 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 2,268,923.

From the cases, 1,442 are Kenyans while 46 are foreigners; 785 are females and 703 are males, while the youngest is a three-month-old baby and the oldest is 99 years.

The ministry also announced that 1,814 patients recovered from the coronavirus; with 1,576 from the Home-Based Isolation and Care program, while 238 were discharged from various health facilities. Total recoveries rose to 205,912.

Four patients however succumbed to the disease, all of them being late deaths reported after conducting facility record audits in August 2021. This pushes the cumulative fatalities to 4,354.

The new cases were recorded across various counties namely; Nairobi 486, Kiambu 152, Nakuru 135, Nyeri 64, Machakos 61, Uasin Gishu 61, Kajiado 57, Murang’a 45, Kitui 42, Embu 37, Mombasa 33, Busia 31, Nandi 28, Baringo 27, Marsabit 27, Turkana 18, Garissa 17, Meru 16, Nyandarua 14, Kakamega 12, Kericho 12, Kirinyaga 12, Lamu 11, Kisii 10, Kisumu 10, Kwale 8, Kilifi 7, Migori 6, Tharaka Nithi 6, Wajir 5, Narok 5, Elgeyo Marakwet 5, Isiolo 5, Laikipia 4, Nyamira 4, Siaya 4, Makueni 4, West Pokot 3, Taita Taveta 2, Homa Bay 1 and Bungoma 1.

“As of today, a total of 1,970 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 8,408 are under the Home-Based Isolation and Care program,” said Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.

“147 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 74 of whom are on ventilatory support and 72 on supplemental oxygen. One patient is under observation. Another 781 patients are separately on supplemental oxygen with 724 of them in general wards and 57 in High Dependency Units (HDU).”

A total of 2,101,403 vaccines have so far been administered across the country. Of these, total first doses are 1,346,861 while second doses are 754,542.

The uptake of the second dose among those who received their first dose is at 56.0% with the majority being males at 55% while females are at 45%. Proportion of adults fully vaccinated is 2.8%.

The uptake of the second dose by Priority Groups is as follows: Aged 58 years and above 229,699; Others 223,607; Health Workers 127,457; Teachers 111,805; while Security Officers are at 61,974.