Kenya's Covid-19 cases near 83,000 after 949 more test positive

Kenya's Covid-19 caseload increased by 949 to 82,605 on Saturday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe saying 8,311 samples were analysed in the last 24 hours.

This raised the total number of samples tested in the country, since the first case was recorded in March, to 879,261.

CS Kagwe said Nairobi accounted for the highest number of new infections - 400 - and was followed by Kiambu with 138, Mombasa with 71 and Kakamega with 49.

Then came Kericho with 33, Kisii 30, Nyamira 26, Machakos 24, Kisumu 18, Kilifi, Taita Taveta and Bungoma 15 each, Busia 14, Makueni, Siaya, Kajiado, Turkana and Laikipia nine each, Embu eight, and Murang'a and Nyeri seven each.

Tana River recorded six new cases, Lamu, Meru, Nakuru and Vihiga four each, Bomet, Isiolo and Uasin Gishu two each, and Kitui, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Kirinyaga, Migori and Homa Bay one each.

Of the new patients, 913 were Kenyans and 36 foreigners, 558 male, and 391 female, and the youngest two months old. The oldest one was 100.

The ministry said the death toll had increased by four to 1,445 and the number of recovered Covid-19 patients by 274 to 54,399. Two hundred and twenty four of them were treated at home and 50 in hospital.

As of Saturday, 1,244 patients had been hospitalised countrywide while 7,829 were in the home-based care programme.

Seventy eight were in intensive care units - 50 on ventilator support and 74 on supplemental oxygen. Another 105 patients were on supplemental oxygen but in general wards (76) and high dependency units (25).