Covid-19: Kenya’s cases hit 149,219 as 4 succumb to the virus

Mutahi Kagwe

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe briefs the media at Afya House Nairobi on March 29, 2021, on the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya.

Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Kenya has risen to 149,219 following the reporting of 1,091 new infections in the past 24 hours.

This resulted in a positivity rate of about 18.3 per cent, the ministry said.

In a statement on Thursday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the new cases were from a sample size of 5,958 tested during the same period, bringing the cumulative tests conducted so far to 1,584,731.

From the new cases, 1,060 are Kenyans, while 31 are foreigners, with 619 being male and 472 being female. The youngest is a one-year-old-baby while the oldest is 101 years old.

At the same time, CS Kagwe said Covid-19 recoveries have risen by 392 to 100,637. He said that 257 from Home Based and Isolation Care while 135 are from health facilities.

The Health CS also announced that four more people have succumbed to Covid-19, raising Kenya’s cumulative fatalities to 2,424. According to the CS all the four deaths occurred on diverse dates within the last one month.

 The Ministry of Health further said 1,603 patients had been hospitalised by Thursday, with 261 of them being under intensive care. Of those in ICU, 44 were on ventilatory support, 167 on supplemental oxygen and 50 under observation.

 Another 264 patients were separately on supplemental oxygen, 250 of them being in general wards and 14 in high dependency units.

 The number of patients in the home-based care programme stood at 5,757.

Nairobi County continues to lead with the number of infections per county with 330, Murang’a 116, Kiambu 87, Kericho 65, Nakuru 63, Embu 51, Uasin Gishu 43, Machakos 35, Kisumu 35, Kirinyaga 34, Mombasa 26, Kajiado 23, Kitui 22, Bomet 20, Nandi 16, Busia 16, Kilifi 16, Trans Nzoia 13, Meru 11 and Nyeri 10.

 Others include Narok 8, Bungoma 8, Kakamega 6, Laikipia 6, Isiolo 4, Kwale 4, Makueni 4, Turkana 4, Nyandarua 3, Baringo 3, Homa Bay 2, Migori 2, Taita Taveta 1, Vihiga 1, Elgeyo Marakwet 1 and Garissa 1.