NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 5 – The Ministry of Health reported a 7.7pc COVID positivity rate on Friday after 400 more people tested positive for the virus out of 5,189 samples tested within 24 hours.
The COVID-19 death toll rose to 1,873 after three more deaths were reported over the same period.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, through a statement shared to newsrooms, said there were 494 hospital admissions while another 1,615 patients were under home-based care and isolation.
He said that another 77 patients had recovered from the disease over the same period including 50 who had been admitted in various health facilities.
Cumulative cases reported in the country since March 14, 2020 stood at 107,729. These included 87,176 recoveries and 1,873 deaths.
Nairobi reported the highest number of cases at 279 while Kiambu and Murang’a had 37 and nine cases each.
Out of the 67 patients who were in the Intensive Care Unit, 24 were on ventilatory support , 35 on supplemental oxygen while 8 were on observation.
Acting Public Health Director-General Patrick Amoth on Friday became the first Kenyan to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The health ministry deployed the 1.2 million AstraZeneca vaccines which arrived in the country on Tuesday to county referral facilities where health workers and other frontline workers including security officers and teachers will be prioritized.
Amoth received the jab at the official launch of a nationwide vaccination campaign held at the Kenyatta National Hospital which was officiated by Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache.
A health worker stationed in the Intensive Care Unit, a dentist, medical students, and lecturers were also among the first beneficiaries of the nationwide vaccination program activated at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Uasin Gishu Health Executive Evelyn Rotich already confirmed the arrival of 60,000 COVID vaccine doses in Eldoret which will cater for 7 counties in the Rift valley region.
The vaccines will cover Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Turkana, and Eldoret county which is a regional vaccine storage center.
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