On Sunday, June 21, Kenya's Coronavirus cases rose to 4,738 after a record high of 260 tested positive from 3,651 samples in 24 hours, with the youngest identified as a 7-month-old baby and the eldest being a 90-year-old.
During the daily Covid-19 briefing at Afya House, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced that the total number of samples tested in the country stood at 140,000.
An additional 21 individuals were discharged over the same period, bringing total recoveries to 1,607.
Unfortunately, 2 more patients died, bringing the number of recorded fatalities to 123.
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Of the 260 new cases, 254 were identified as Kenyans while the rest were foreigners with 176 being male and 84 female.
The regional distribution of the new cases was detailed as follows: Nairobi 157, Mombasa 42, Kwale 15. Kiambu 14, Machakos 9, Kajiado 7, Migori 3, Nakuru 3, Busia 3, Homabay 2, Kilifi 1, Kisii 1, Kisumu 1, Kakamega 1, and Laikipia 1.
In a new development, 550 positive patients were discharged under the newly-introduced home-based care system, with 338 from the Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital and 212 from the Coast General Hospital.
Marking 100 days since the first Covid-19 case was recorded in Kenya, CS Kagwe took time to thank several stakeholders for their role in combating the pandemic and highlighted the role of the media in spreading the word on the various safety measures recommended by the national government.
"I thank the media for highlighting matters relating to Covid-19. We are greatly indebted to you," he stated.
“We have put in the work and we will continue to do so taking note of and learning from the challenges and failures we have experienced since this journey began," he added.
Following the outbreak, CS Kagwe revealed that the government had increased its capacity, with 58,958 tested between June 1 - June 21, with 2,717 testing positive for Covid-19, adding that each county would be equipped with at least 300 isolation beds in the following 7 days.
"It is evident that Covid-19 will be with us longer and it will stretch our healthcare system, it is now our personal responsibility to ensure we observe the containment measures to fight the disease. The 100-day milestone is bittersweet. We mourn the lives that were lost to the virus. We are ready to battle the disease and come out victorious," he asserted.
The CS also noted that the pandemic had adversely affected people's mental health, citing certain measures such as stay home orders, keeping social distancing as having brought about a lot of anxiety.
However, he also pointed out some of the positives, "We have seen change especially in behaviour such as increased hand hygiene," he stated.
