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Kenya records 309 new Covid-19 cases as focus turns to reopening

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Ministry of Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Rashid Aman during the daily briefs on Covid-19 at Afya House Nairobi on July 5, 2020. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NMG

Kenya on Sunday recorded 309 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total national tally to 7,886 as the spike dampened the prospects of re-opening the economy.

Containment measures imposed a month ago expire on Monday when President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to address the nation.

The number of infections on Sunday represent 7.6 percent of the 4,028 tests conducted across 37 counties.

Nairobi had the most cases after reporting 193, followed by Kajiado, Kiambu, Mombasa, Makueni and Busia with 22, 20, 18, 17 and 11, respectively.

Some 41 out 47 counties have reported cases and it is expected that over the next few weeks every devolved unit will be affected. The continued spread has been blamed on the lack of adherence to measures such as social distancing, wearing of masks and ensuring hygiene.

“The growing number of positive cases indicates that the containment measures are not fully adhered to. We have observed that many of our people are going about their everyday activities as if we are in normal times,” said Ministry of Health Chief Administrative Secretary, Rashid Aman.

“There have been cases of illegal gatherings...operators in the transport sector have gone back to the old ways of doing business.”

From Sunday’s tally, Machakos had nine, Nakuru eight, Nandi and Turkana three each while Narok had recorded two cases. Nyandarua, Kilifi, Kakamega each reported a case.

Some 51 Covid-19 patients were discharged while an additional death reported bringing the total recoveries and fatalities to 2,287 and 160 in that order.

As the government tries to contain the spread of the virus the economy has taken a beating due to measures that continue to affect business operations such as the curfew, travel restrictions and the ban of domestic and international travel.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest economic outlook released on last Monday, projected that Kenya’s economy will shrink for the first time in 30 years by 0.3 per cent in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.