Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Wednesday, April 15, announced that 9 individuals had tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases within the country to 225.
The new confirmed cases, who are all Kenyans, on a day the government achieved a new milestone of testeing over 800 samples in 24 hours. The CS noted that 12 more patients recovered from the virus raising the total number of recoveries to 53.
None of the cases had a history of travel and none were in a quarantine center. Five of the cases were from Nairobi and the rest from Mombasa.
One person, however, passed away bringing the total to deaths from Covid-19 in Kenya to 10.
Out of the woods?
Despite a steadily increasing number of recoveries, Kagwe was quick to caution Kenyans against holding the false impression that the country was winning the war against the deadly virus.
"Fellow Kenyans, we are aware that there are those looking at our figures and celebrating a bit too early. Let me send a word of caution, we are not out of danger. A comparative review of countries now being overrun by the virus shows that they were reporting similar figures as we are now.
"We note that our 4.6% death rate is within the global range of 6.3%," stated Kagwe warning Kenyans to be cautious.
Violence against police
During the address, the CS also condemned an attack on police officers that was reported in Malindi.
In his address, the CS urged Kenyans to respect police officers and also challenged human rights groups to raise alarm in a similar manner to when police are at fault.
"We are deeply perturbed to see a section of Kenyans not cooperating with police... We condemn this despicable behavior where people attacked the police in Malindi.
"I commend the police for ensuring nationwide curfew is obeyed. I have no doubt that the work the police force is doing is helping us mitigate the situation in which we are in. Let us cooperate with security. It is very concerning to see the kind of behavior we saw in Malindi," stated the CS.
He further revealed that the country received a consignment of 18,000 kits, 18,900 swabs and 3,790 medical disposable protective clothing from Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma. The country also got a consignment of surgical masks, gloves, face shields, gowns from China, Germany and France through the World Health Organisation (WHO).
