Covid-19: Kenya records 1,175 new cases

Covid jab

A nurse administers Covid-19 vaccine to a member of the public at Kencom Bus terminal on December 23, 2021.

Photo credit: Jeff Angote | Nation Media Group

The number of Covid-19 positive cases in Kenya has increased by 1,175 people, while the positivity rate has dropped to 11.7 per cent, from a sample size of 10,073 tested in the last 24 hours.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Health on Thursday, 1,025 of the new infections were Kenyans, while 150 were foreigners comprising 601 females and 574 males.

The youngest is a two-day-old infant, while the oldest is 108 years. The confirmed positive cases are now 315,665, while the cumulative tests conducted are 3,127,480.

Nairobi county has the highest number of infections in the last 24 hours with 459 cases followed by Kisii 92, Mombasa 71, Nyeri 49, Turkana 49, Siaya 48, Kiambu 40, Murang’a 37, Uasin Gishu 37, Kakamega 36, Nakuru 32, Nyandarua 25, Kisumu 20, Makueni 14, Nandi 13, Baringo 12, Kilifi 12, Kericho 11, Kirinyaga 10, Migori 10, Meru 9, Homa Bay 8, Elgeyo Marakwet 7, Embu 7, Kajiado 7, Tharaka Nithi 7, Bungoma 6, Busia 5, Garissa 5, Machakos 5, Laikipia 4, Marsabit 4, Isiolo 3, Kwale 3, Nyamira 3, Vihiga 3, West Pokot 3, Bomet 2, Narok 2, Tana River 2, Trans Nzoia 2 and Taita Taveta 1.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe also mentioned that 3,025 patients had recovered from the disease, 2,837 from the Home-Based Isolation and Care programme, while 188 were from various health facilities countrywide.

Total recoveries now stand at 279,044, of whom 228,286 are from the Home-Based Care and Isolation programme, while 50,758 are from various health facilities countrywide.

Three deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours, all are late deaths reported after conducting facility record audits in December 2021 and January 2022. This now pushes the cumulative fatalities to 5,472.

Mr. Kagwe added that 1,146 patients are currently admitted to various health facilities countrywide, while 15,829 are under the Home-Based Isolation and Care programme.

Forty-nine more patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 45 are on ventilatory support, and four are on supplemental oxygen.

Another 275 patients are on supplemental oxygen, and 271 of them are in the general wards. 4 patients are in the High Dependency Unit. According to the CS, 10,878,311 vaccines had been administered across the country as of Wednesday.

Of these, 6,134,511 are partially vaccinated, while those fully vaccinated are 4,644,213. Another 25,213 are administered to those between 15 and 18 years, while 74,374 are booster doses.

The uptake of the second dose among those who received their first dose was at 57.5 percent, while the proportion of adults fully vaccinated was 17.0 per cent.