Kenya’s COVID-19 positivity rate at 11% after 489 new cases recorded; 20 dead

The Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced that 489 people tested positive for COVID-19 from a sample size of 4,426 tested in the last 24 hours.

This now takes the total confirmed infections to 161,393, with the country’s positivity rate rising to 11.0 per cent.

From the cases, 449 are Kenyans while 40 are foreigners; 266 are males and 223 are females, while the youngest is a four-month-old-infant and the oldest is 102 years old.

Distribution of positive cases by age is as follows: 0-9 years (24), 10-19 years (31), 20-29 years (90), 30-39 years (122), 40-49 years (91), 50-59 years (72), 60 and above (59).

The cases were distributed across various counties namely; Nairobi 130, Siaya 39, Nandi 37, Embu 35, Kisumu 33, Migori 33, Kakamega 24, Garissa 22, Kilifi 16, Bungoma 14, Kiambu 13, Nakuru 9, Machakos 9, Meru 9, Turkana 8, Kitui 7, Samburu 6, Makueni 6, Isiolo 5, Kajiado 4, Mombasa 4, Murang’a, Nyandarua, Nyeri and Vihiga 3 cases each, Kirinyaga, Marsabit, Homa Bay and West Pokot 2 cases each, Bomet, Busia, Kericho, Kisii, Laikipia and Wajir 1 case each.

Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Rashid Aman, addressing the press, said 552 patients recovered from the disease; 303 of them were discharged from various health facilities countrywide while 249 are from Home Based and Isolation Care.

Total recoveries now stand at 109,769; of which 79,774 are from Home Based Care and Isolation while 29,995 are from various health facilities.

Dr. Aman however also announced that 20 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours; 11 on diverse dates within the last one month and 9 being late death reports from facility record audits. This pushes the cumulative fatalities to 2,825.

New deaths by age; 0-9 years (0), 10-19 years (0), 20-29 (0), 30-39 years (2), 40-49 years (4), 50-59 years (1), 60 years and above (13).

The CAS also stated that a total of 1,164 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 6,603 patients are on Home Based Isolation and Care.

He added that 153 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 28 of whom are on ventilatory support and 99 on supplemental oxygen, with another 26 patients on observation.

A further 119 patients are separately on supplemental oxygen with 111 of them in general wards and 8 in High Dependency Units (HDU).

“As of today, a total of 900,459 persons have so far been vaccinated against the COVID-19 disease countrywide. Of these 524,720 are aged 58 years and above plus others, health workers (159,308), teachers (140,354), while security officers (76,077),” he said.