NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 1 – Kenya recorded 22 additional coronavirus cases Wednesday, raising the national tally to 81.
The newly confirmed cases announced by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe mark the highest increase in the number cases confirmed in a single day since Kenya registered the first case on March 13.
The 22 include 18 Kenyans, 2 Pakistan and 2 Cameroon nationals, Kagwe said.
“In the last 24 hours we have tested over 300 people out of which 22 tested positive, 13 are male and 11 are females,” he stated.
Kagwe stressed on the need to quarantine especially saying 21 out of 22 confirmed were from the guests in mandatory quarantine.
The CS urged Kenyans to adhere to Ministry of Health guidelines on hygiene and social distancing, explaining that the pandemic is already overwhelming health facilities in developed countries.
“Kenyans, over the last 24 hours 810 Italians have passed on during the same period 812 Spanish people have passed on as a result of coronavirus, what this tell us is that we can’t emphasize enough what is likely to be ahead of us unless and until we adhere to the rules that we have established,” stated Kagwe.
The Ministry of Health said only one patient among the confirmed patients was in ICU at Agha Khan Hospital and using a ventilator.
The confirmation of 22 more cases came days after the health ministry projected the increase in the number of cases to 10,000 by April 30 on account of community transmissions.
Kenya’s Director General Public Health Patrick Amoth on Monday said current projections indicate about 1000 cases will be recorded by the end of the first week of April, 5,000 by mid- April and potentially 10,000 by April 30, “in the absence of any drastic intervention”.
Kenya has recorded a single death since the confirmation of the first positive coronavirus case.
Three Kenyans have already recovered.
President Uhuru Kenyatta through a video-conference and two recovered patients commended the first and third coronavirus patients for helping in contact tracing and being responsible after they realized they had COVID-19 symptoms.
Kenyatta urged Kenyans to follow the example set by the patients identified as Brenda and Brian to protect their loved ones, especially the elderly and people with preexisting conditions, from contracting the virus.
Brenda who was country’s first patient travelled from United States via London and had a cough three days after arrival and decided to go to Mbagathi hospital where she was tested.
Brian on the other hand contracted the virus after coming into close contact with Brenda.
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