Kenya on Friday reported 945 new Covid-19 cases from a sample of 7,295 tested in the past 24 hours, marking a positivity rate of 13 percent.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the country’s number of declared infections since the first one in March 2020 was 201,954 and that 2,124,274 tests had been conducted.
Of the new patients, 910 were Kenyans and 35 foreigners, 481 male and 464 female, the youngest 11 months old and the oldest 100 years.
In terms of case distribution by county, Nairobi accounted for 416, Mombasa 73, Kiambu 72, Kilifi 52, Nakuru 43, Kajiado 35, Uasin Gishu 29, Makueni 28, Machakos 26, Murang’a 25, Kitui 13, Busia, Baringo and Kericho 12 each, and Kirinyaga and Migori 11 each.
Lamu followed with nine cases, Siaya and Garissa eight each, Homa Bay seven, Kisumu and Nyandarua five each, Narok and Nyeri four each, Kisii, Kakamega and West Pokot three each, Marsabit, Bungoma and Taita Taveta two each, and Elgeyo Marakwet, Kwale, Laikipia, Mandera, Meru, Vihiga, Bomet and Isiolo one each.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe further reported that 16 more patients had succumbed to the virus, raising the death toll in Kenya to 3,926. He explained, however, that were all late death reports confirmed after the audit of facility records in March, April, June and July.
The CS further announced that 216 more patients had recovered from the disease, 152 of them under home-based care and 64 at health facilities countrywide, raising the total to 188,438.
As of Friday, the ministry said, 1,432 Covid-19 patients had been admitted to health facilities countrywide while 3,975 had been registered for home-based isolation and care.
Of those in hospital, 175 were under intensive care, 41 of them on ventilator support, 82 on supplemental oxygen and 52 patients under observation.
Another 446 patients were separately on supplemental oxygen, 400 of them in general wards and 46 in high dependency units.
On the ongoing vaccination exercise, CS Kagwe said 1,712,550 doses had been administered across the country by Monday – 1,058,280 first doses and 654,270 second doses.
The uptake rate of the second dose was 61.8 percent, with the majority being male (55 percent), while the proportion of adults fully vaccinated was 2.4 percent.
Among those who had taken their second doses were 202,820 people aged 58 years and above, 114,592 health workers, 94,766 teachers, 52,185 security officers and 189,907 ungrouped individuals. BY DAILY NATION