Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Tuesday, April 7, announced that the number of confirmed Covid -19 cases in Kenya had risen to 172.
Speaking from Afya House, the CS confirmed that in the last 24 hours, 14 people had tested positive for the disease.
"696 samples have been tested in the last 24 hours out of which 14 people have tested positive for the disease," he stated.
Of the 14 newly diagnosed patients, twelve are Kenyans while two are foreign nationals.
"Four cases have a recent history of travel from Tanzania, South Africa, UAE and the United States," he stated.
"Four of them are from quarantine facilities while 10 were picked by our surveillance teams,” he continued.
He added that seven of the patients are from Nairobi while, two are from Mombasa, two from Mandera while Machakos, Kisii and Kiambu Counties have one new victim each.
The two reported cases from Mandera are said to have recently travelled to Mombasa.
“That explains why the decision by the President was taken to close some of the areas where we feel movement is causing the spread of the virus,” the CS noted.
Further, Mutahi stated that the 14 patients had already been taken to isolation facilities and contact tracing had already begun.
On a brighter note, Mutahi stated that three patients had been released from various hospitals, having turned negative.
The CS reiterated that the government would not hesitate to take even heavier measures in the coming days to curb the spread of the deadly disease.
To stiffen the measures, he declared that golf clubs and clubhouses would be closed with immediate effect. He added that testing would begin for all medical staff, both in quarantine facilities and in hospitals.
Below is a video courtesy of Daily Nation;
