Kenya’s Covid-19 cases have risen to 31,441 after 426 people tested positive from a sample size of 5,158. Of the new cases, 239 are males while 187 are females, and all are Kenyans except 9 foreigners. Speaking at Afya house on Thursday, Health CAS Dr. Mercy Mwangangi said Kenya is still way off the global benchmark positivity rate. The positivity rate highlights how a country’s Covid-19 curve is shaping in relation to the case load and sampling, with Kenya’s positivity rate at 7.9%, “Over the last 34 weeks this positivity rate has steadily increased from an initial 2%. This increase points to an acceleration in the transmission of the disease,” she stated.
She said Kenya’s curve is not flattening, with the global benchmark positivity rate at 5%. “When a country records a positivity rate of 5% or lower over a period of 14 days then it’s getting to the part o flattening the curve.” Over the last 24 hours, 257 patients have recovered from the virus, with 195 under the home based care and 62 from different health facilities. The total recoveries are now 17,869.
However, 10 people succumbed to the virus, with fatalities now at 516. The CAS said of the 10, 3 were community deaths, with victims all under 30 years old. Nairobi County leads in new cases with 132, Kajiado County has 63, Jericho has 48, Kiambu County has 24, Machakos has 21, Migori has 17, Mombasa has 16, Kitui has 13, Laikipia has 13.
Nakuru and Kisumu have 11 cases each, Uasin Gishu has 10, Tharaka Nithi has 8 cases, Nyeri and Busia have 7 cases, Makueni County has 6 cases, Kilifi County has 4 cases, Garissa and Nyandarua have 3 cases each, Isiolo and Embu have 2 cases each. Meru, Kirinyaga, Kakamega, Baringo and Lamu have 1 case each.
