Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Tuesday, May 19, disclosed the main reason why Mombasa County had so far recorded the highest number of COVID-19 deaths.
In a press briefing at Afya House, the CS noted that 15 (30%) of the total 50 Covid-19 deaths registered in the country at the time, were patients who had died at home without any treatment.
Specifically, he indicated that the majority of the cases were from Mombasa County.
"The rise in death here in Mombasa is essentially people dying at home and we want to urge that if a person is unwell, please take them to hospital because if you are unwell and you are the one taking care of them, chances are, you can also die," the CS warned.
Kagwe explained that if a victim died at home, the rate of infection and that of mortality would be higher in the affected area.
In his presentation, the CS stated that Nairobi was the leading County in terms of the recorded number of coronavirus cases in the country with 470 cases. Mombasa, on the other hand, had recorded 331.
However, in terms of mortality cases, Mombasa had recorded the highest with 27 deaths while Nairobi had recorded 20.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Dr Edwin Gitu a medical practitioner at the Aga Khan Hospital explained that staying with a Covid-19 patient at home was not advisable as the patient would completely depend on the caregiver.
"It is, therefore, unwise to try this level of care at home because adequate protection cannot be guaranteed.
"Secretions from the mouth and nose and the face area of the deceased also harbor the virus and can be infective if one touches them then their own face," he told our newsdesk on phone.
As of May 19, Kenya had recorded 963 cases with 358 recoveries and 50 fatalities.
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