Kenya's Covid-19 deaths reach 700 as cases rise to 38,168

Kenya on Monday recorded nine more deaths due to the coronavirus, raising its toll to 700.

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe issued a statement which also announced 53 new infections from 1,107 samples tested in the last 24 hours.

These figures raised the country's total number of declared infections to 38,168 and that of samples analysed so far to 541,415.

CS Kagwe also reported 60 more recoveries, which raised the total to 24,681. He said 36 of the patients were in the home-based care programme and the rest at various treatment facilities.

All but three of the new patients were Kenyans whereas 32 were male and 21 female. The youngest was four years old and the oldest 76.

Nairobi and Meru each accounted for 11 of the new cases, Kiambu and Uasin Gishu six each, Nakuru four, Kajiado three, Garissa, Busia, Laikipia and Machakos two each, and makueni, Embu, Kisumu and Kwale one each.

The update came as government officials, led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, attended a national Covid-19 conference at the KICC in Nairobi.

The national meeting, which followed a virtual conference by the leaders on Kenya's status, came after six months of economic paralysis caused by restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

President Kenyatta revised measures that Kenya took after reporting its first case on March 13.

Key among them were a nationwide curfew and restrictions on operations by hotels, restaurants, clubs, supermarkets and other such establishments.