NAIROBI,Kenya May 27 – Three more people succumbed to COVID-19 related complications in a period of 24 hours ending Wednesday raising the country’s death toll to 55, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced.
One of the three patients was battling breast cancer while the other two had underlying diabetes complications, he said while issuing the daily briefing on the virus.
“I would like to take this opportunity to condole with the families of those who have succumbed to this deadly virus, all of the patients had underlying conditions,” he said.
Of the active cases still under treatment in 35 hospitals countrywide, Kagwe noted seven of them are in critical condition, four are on ventilator support while three are relying on supplementary oxygen.
The country’s fatality rate stood at 4 per cent while the recovery rate stood at 30 per cent against the global fatality rate of 6 per cent and recovery rate of 43 per cent.
“It is important to remind you that for all diseases that exist, none has ever been as lonely as COVID-19, if this disease gets serious, people die alone and not as a group, so it important for one to protect themselves,” Kagwe asserted.
He, however, said the infections are lower compared to other countries globally especially the number of patients who have succumbed to the virus.
“There is hope for Kenya, even with this spike we must give thanks from an overall perspective, the infections are relatively low, you notice there is a high figure but we are also testing more numbers,” he said.
The registered 123 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, representing a triple-digit growth in infections and the highest single-day spike since the first virus case was recorded on March 13.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said 3,007 samples had been analyzed, the number of cases recorded rose to 1,471.
Nairobi leads with 85 cases, Mombasa (24), Kiambu (4) Kajiado (3) Kisumu (2) cases while Garissa, Kitui, Kilifi, Busia and Uasin Gishu counties registered a case each.
The health ministry said three more patients had been discharged after recovering, bringing the total number of recoveries to 408.