NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 11 – The Ministry of Health on Wednesday reported 1,974 COVID-19 cases after testing 13,407 samples, raising the total number of infections documented since March 2020 to 215,730.
The nationwide infection rate stood at 14.7 per cent.
Nairobi County recorded the highest number of cases at 700, followed by Mombasa with (147) cases, Kiambu (139), Nyeri (128) and Nakuru (116).
Machakos recorded 87 cases, Nyandarua (62), Kirinyanga( 47), Kilifi (41), Busia (39), Kajiado (39), Murang’a (35), Nandi (34) and Kericho (30).
At the same time the Ministry reported 30 virus-linked deaths, including one that was reported within a period of 24 hours. The other 29 were picked from audited records for the months of March, July and August.
The number of those who had succumbed to the disease since the pandemic struck was reported at 4,241.
The Ministry said 1,813 patients were in various health facilities countrywide while 8,193 were on home-based care. 138 patients were in the Intensive Care Unit.
On the vaccination exercise, the ministry said a total of 1,881,988 doses had been administered, with the proportion of fully vaccinated adult population reported at 2.6 per cent.
The ministry warned insurance firms promoting products offering to cover adverse side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, saying such adverts are misleading and depicts the vaccine as being unsafe.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that all the vaccines deployed in the country have been approved by the World Health Organization as well as the Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board for emergency use after being found safe and effective against COVID-19.
The CS therefore termed such an advert unethical, saying they only create unnecessary anxiety among people who are at risk of severe COVID disease.
He also noted that the COVID jab has common mild side effects similar to other vaccines, which include a headache, nausea and fever.
“The government warns any company or groupings that are out to profiteer from the COVID-19 pandemic that it is criminal and punishable by law in accordance with the Public Health Act. They should therefore desist from the malpractice otherwise the law will take its cause,” stated Kagwe.
