Kenyans disregard Covid rules even as active cases remain high

ODM leader Raila Odinga  addresses residents of Kwale County on September 11.

Photo credit: Photo | Pool

What you need to know:

  • There are now 36, 205 confirmed Covid-19 cases.
  • The country’s average daily confirmed cases per million stands at 670.
  • The disease has killed 624, with the case fatality ration at 1.7 per cent.

Kenya still has close to 13,000 active coronavirus cases even as politicians lead the public in violating restrictions imposed to control the pandemic.  

There is fear of a surge in fresh infections as politicians and citizens ignore Covid-19 measures put in place by the Health ministry such as the ban on gatherings.

Leaders from across the political divide are holding political rallies, with the expectation that President Uhuru Kenyatta will fully open the country within a fortnight. With 12, 962 cases, the country still has a 34.5 per cent active case load, with recoveries at 65.5 per cent of total case load of 36, 157. 

Since July 28 when the highest number of cases were reported — 1, 332 — the country has seen a steady decline in Covid-19 cases, with the lowest number —  48 — recorded yesterday.

There are now 36, 205 confirmed Covid-19 cases. The country’s average daily confirmed cases per million stands at 670.

Spike in recoveries

An analysis of the Covid-19 data from the Ministry of Health by the Nation shows that the country’s active cases were on the rise until August 7, when the figure peaked at 13, 607. Since then it has maintained the same average peak through the month of August and has since dropped to 12, 468 by Saturday.

The data also shows that despite the slowdown in the daily positive cases, and the peaking in active cases, the number of deaths continues to rise.

The disease has killed 624, with the case fatality ration at 1.7 per cent. The country has also recorded a spike in recoveries, with more than 3, 000 this month alone.

But violation of restrictions to check the spread of the disease could reverse this progress. As the active cases remain above 35 per cent, and with the fear of a second wave of infections, the political class has been oblivious of this, leading in disregarding the Covid-19 measures.

Downward trend

Already Mombasa, one of the hot spots until June, has started recording a surge in its numbers, an indication that all might not be well. “Mombasa and Turkana, which were on a downward trend, have begun to shoot up in positive cases.

While this might seem like a surge, we have set up a team to find out why that is happening,” Health CAS Dr Mercy Mwangangi said yesterday.

Ironically, it was in Mombasa this weekend that ODM leader Raila Odinga held a rally, disregarding the protocols issued by the government against mass gathering. 

Deputy President William Ruto also held a rally in Mombasa. Last Thursday, President Kenyatta addressed a roadside gathering in Kiambu.