Kenya records new Covid high as cases hit 447 in single day

Kenya Thursday hit the highest Covid-19 cases yet in under 24 hours after 447 people tested positive amid growing community transmission.

The latest cases indicate an 11.7 per cent infection rate from 3,083 samples obtained. This brings total infections in Kenya to 8,975. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said Thursday in Mombasa counties should prepare for a steep increase in the Covid-19 cases.

“The growing cases point out to what we have been saying and what our modelling shows, that cases will continue to grow. And therefore we must prepare... by increasing capacity in counties to be able to handle an increase in cases,” he said.

It emerged that the country had by Saturday secured an additional 483 ICU beds on top of 450 available.

The ministry has reiterated that counties must have in place facilities that can accommodate Covid-19 patients in the wake of a surge. The government directed the counties to have a minimum of 300 beds for coronavirus patients. However, about half are yet to meet this target.

Most counties, including Makueni and Machakos, have converted the 40 Kenya Medical Training College facilities into isolation and treatment centres. So far, 42 out of 47 counties have confirmed Covid-19 cases.