Covid-19: Kenya cases hit 12,750 with record high of 688 infections

By GEORGE MUNENE

By JILL NAMATSI

Kenya has hit another record high of 688 cases of Covid-19 in a single day, raising the country’s total number of confirmed cases of the virus to 12,750.

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe, in a tour of Embu County on Saturday, also announced that three more patients had died and that 457 patients had recovered.

This raised the death toll to 225 and the total number of recoveries 4,440. Of the 457 recovered patients, 401 were under home-based care while 56 were in hospital.

CS Kagwe further announced that Tana River had become the 44th of 47 counties to record a case of the virus. 

RISING NUMBERS

Kenya’s number of coronavirus cases has been increasing steadily following the reopening of county borders. 

The ministry regretted that many people have disregarded the basic measures for preventing the spread of Covid-19, key among them being wearing masks in public.

As such, CS Kagwe reiterated the need for personal responsibility, asking members of the public to “save each other”.

He discouraged inter-county travel and all types of gatherings, noting it is better to keep off until the pandemic is contained.

“This disease is here with us. We must invest to fight the virus. Take individual responsibility to save your child, your mother, your father, your friend … Let’s save each other. You save me, I save you,” he said.

Regarding political gatherings, he said, “When a politician calls a public gathering, you have a choice – to go there or not. Take personal responsibility. Don’t go there. You don’t have to be there.”

COUNTY PREPAREDNESS

Officials from the Health ministry have been visiting counties to assess the steps that have taken to deal cases of the virus.

Mr Kagwe noted that such visits help the government to identify gaps in healthcare, make investments and meet and honour frontline health workers.

He said that Embu, whose governor is Mr Martin Wambora, had 360 isolations bed as of Friday, more than the government’s required minimum of 330, as well as 18 beds for patients in intensive care units.

As of July 18, the county had two patients and 21 people at quarantine facilities.

So far, the ministry has visited counties including Makeuni, Murang’a, Nakuru, Mombasa and Kwale.