NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 5 – The COVID-19 death toll rose to 391 on Wednesday after three more virus-related fatalities were reported within 24 hours..
The new figure reported by the Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe represents a case fatality rate of 1.64 per cent, the average rate recorded since July.
Speaking during a regular briefing on the status of COVID-19, Kagwe also noted 603 additional patients had been discharged after recovering from COVID-19 raising recoveries reported since April 1 to 9,930.
The new recoveries included some 436 patients who were undergoing home-based care.
While acknowledging the efforts by health workers, Kagwe noted the high number of recoveries is a ray of hope for newly infected patients.
“There is a good balance between the number of infections and recoveries, it means that when the spaces are vacated, we can bring in new patients without overstretching our facilities,” he said.
The CS further noted that the total documented cases since March 14 rose to 23,873 after 671 COVID-19 cases were detected from 6,200 samples examined within 24 hours.
Health care workers represent 3 per cent of the cumulative cases documented since March, health professionals accounting for 723 cases.
Kagwe called upon county governments to heed to the concerns of the healthcare workers’ unions which are decrying payment frustrations and rising infections in healthcare facilities.
“We urge all the county governments to listen to any concerns raised by healthcare workers with a view to addressing them. As a ministry, we are ready to extend our support as may be necessary to ensure our people are well served across the country,” Kagwe said.
The National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK), the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) and the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) have warned of tough times if the current situation is not addressed.
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