258 new COVID-19 cases and 9 deaths in Kenya with 8.2pc positivity rate » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6- The Ministry of Health has reported 258 new COVID-19 cases that were detected from a sample size of 3,137 raising the total caseload to 240,430.

The positivity rate in the country stood at 8.2 percent as at September 6.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said 1,825 patients were admitted to various health facilities countrywide among them 151 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Kagwe said an audit conducted in health facilities had revealed 9 more deaths raising fatalities in the country from the pandemic to 4,795.

Kenya had vaccinated 2,870,392 people by September 6, as the Health Ministry targets 10 million by December.

The country received the second batch of 880,320 COVID-19 Moderna vaccine doses Monday with more expected in the coming days.

The vaccines were acquired with the assistance of the US government through the COVAX facility that is helping the African Union get vaccines for the continent.

They were received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Rashid Aman CDC Country Director Mark Bulterys accompanied by other officials.

“The Kenya government appreciates the support and assistance of the donation we are receiving today from the US government. This donation will be of great help to us,” Dr Aman said.

Aman said Kenya has so far received 5,146,780 various vaccine doses including Astrazeneca and Johnson.

“The vaccine constraints we were facing as a country are now fading away,” he said, expressing optimism that the government will meet its target of vaccinating 10 million people by December as pledged by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Aman urged more people turn up for the vaccines, explaining that “It is through having more people vaccinated that we will know we are managing this pandemic and we can then relax some of the protocols.”

Kenya is still under a night curfew with restrictions on hotels, bars and restaurants operating hours.

There is also a government ban on public gatherings which continue to be flouted by top politicians in the country with nothing done to stop them.

“Those who have taken the first dose, should come out to get the second dose. Full protection comes when you are fully vaccinated. The government is doing its part to acquire vaccines and on their part, Kenyans should avail themselves so that they are vaccinated,” Aman said.

He assured that all vaccines deployed in Kenya have been approved by WHO and no vaccine is superior to the other.

“So we urge Kenyans when they go out to get vaccinated they should not be insisting on specific vaccines,” he said.

Kenya now has three types of vaccines AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson.

“We also expect very soon to add Pfizer against a donation that we are expecting from the US government.

so there will be a variety of vaccines available. They are all equally good in protecting you from the severe corona disease,” he said.

CDC Country Director Mark Bulterys said more donations will be sent to Kenya.

“This shipment contains the second consignment of 880,000 Moderna doses bringing the total shipment to 1.76 million Moderna vaccine doses. This is part of the Biden-Haris administration’s commitment to help combat covid around the globe and is based on the strong partnership that the US government and Kenya have built over the years.”