Health CAS Mercy Mwagangi confirmed that nine more patients tested positive for Covid-19 bringing the total number of cases within the country to 59.
Speaking outside Afya House on Tuesday, March 31, the CAS noted that 234 samples had already been tested for the virus in the last 24 hours.
1668 contacts of the 59 patients who tested positive were being monitored closely.
"In the last 24 hours, a total of 234 samples from suspected cases of Covid-19 have been analysed in our various laboratories. We have received confirmation of nine people who have tested positive for coronavirus disease.
"This now brings the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Kenya to 59. Tracing of the contacts of the confirmed cases is ongoing," she stated.
508 of the contacts were discharged after completing the 14-day quarantine period.
"Currently, our teams are monitoring 1160 close contacts of confirmed cases," she added.
On the country's level of preparedness, the CAS pointed out that Mbagathi Hospital isolation centre has a capacity of 120 beds, Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital has a bed capacity of 300 beds.
In an address on Monday, March 31, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe noted that the disease was increasingly being transmitted through community interactions and put in place additional measures to curb its spread.
"We must now raise our level of alert and intervention measures. For now, we need to protect our youth as Boda Boda riders and therefore we will require every boda boda to carry one passenger.
"The rider and passenger mast wear masks for protection. We are spreading out masks in the counties for this purpose," he remarked.
