Covid-19: Kenya's caseload rises to 34,884 after 179 more test positive

Health CAS Rashid Aman gives the daily brief on the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya at Afya House in Nairobi on August 28, 2020.

Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rashid Aman also announced that 415 more people had recovered, 161 of them at home and 254 in hospital, raising the total number to 21,059.
  • Of the new patients, 162 were Kenyans and 17 foreigners, the youngest a year old and the oldest 75, and 126 male and 53 female.
  • CAS Aman gave the update in Bomet following a tour by Health ministry officials to assess steps the county has taken in its fight against the coronavirus.

Kenya now has 34,884 declared cases of the coronavirus following the recording of 179 more infections after analysis of 4,178 samples in the last 24 hours.

In the daily briefing on Friday, Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rashid Aman also announced that 415 more people had recovered, 161 of them at home and 254 in hospital, raising the total number to 21,059.

Dr Aman reported four more deaths, raising the death toll in Kenya to 589.

Of the new patients, 162 were Kenyans and 17 foreigners, the youngest a year old and the oldest 75, and 126 male and 53 female.

With the 4,178 samples, the total tested in Kenya by September 4 rose to 467,677.

Nairobi County led with 66 new infections and was followed by Garissa (21), Turkana (12), Nakuru (12), Busia (11), Taita Taveta (10),Kiambu (nine), Kitui (six)and Kisumu (five), among others. 

CAS Aman gave the update in Bomet following a tour by Health ministry officials to assess steps the county has taken in its fight against the coronavirus.

No celebration

The Ministry of Health cautioned Kenyans against celebrating the decline in the number of coronavirus cases,  cases of Covid-19 stating that the next two weeks will determine whether the current containment measures will be lifted.

Even as he acknowledged that the country has made tremendous progress towards curbing the spread of the virus, Dr Aman underlined the need to continue observing guidelines.

"Compared to our counterparts in the Sub- Saharan Africa, we are much better and on the right track towards re-opening the economy," he said at Koiwa sub-county isolation and treatment centre.

"This is not the time to drop the ball. In the next two to three weeks, we might have some good news."

Acting Health Services Director-General Patrick Amoth said the government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were discussing how to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of all Kenyans.

Bomet update

In his address, Governor Hillary Barchok said Bomet had recorded 126 cases of Covid-19, including nine deaths, and that 63 patients were being treated at home.

Mr Barchok also said Bomet had met the requirement for at least 300 bed for patients with Covid-19.

He added that 191 health workers had been recruited and sent to facilities across the county and that at least 1,000 community health workers had been trained on monitoring.

The governor also said vocational centres had been asked to produce a million face masks and had made 200,000 by Friday. He said the county had received 4,710 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) from the national government.

The governor further said 22 secondary schools were being used as quarantine centres whereas some hotels had been identified and assessed for use by health workers.