Kenya records 392 new COVID-19 cases, 5 deaths; positivity rate at 6.8%

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday announced that 392 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 from a sample size of 5,730 tested in the last 24 hours, marking a positivity rate of 6.8 percent.

Of the cases, 335 are Kenyans while 57 are foreigners; 211 are males and 181 are females. The youngest is an 11-month-old child while the oldest is 102 years.

Total confirmed positive cases are now 318,249 while cumulative tests so far conducted are at 3,157,009.

The cases were distributed across various counties as follows: Nairobi 176, Siaya 34, Nyamira 27, Laikipia 26, Mombasa 22, Nakuru 16, Kilifi 14, Uasin Gishu 11, Kisumu 7, Makueni 7, Kakamega 7, West Pokot 6, Kajiado 5, Murang’a 5, Garissa 4, Isiolo 3, Kiambu 3, Homa Bay 2, Kirinyaga 2, Kisii 2, Bomet 2, Marsabit 2, Migori 1, Nandi 1, Narok 1, Nyeri 1, Tharaka Nithi 1, Busia 1, Kwale 1, Machakos 1 and Baringo 1.

The Ministry said 856 patients have recovered from the disease; 773 from the Home-Based Isolation and Care program while 83 were discharged from various health facilities countrywide. Total recoveries rose to 286,483.

Five patients are reported to have succumbed to the coronavirus disease, all of them being late deaths reported after conducting facility record audits in the months of December 2021 and January 2022. This pushes the cumulative fatalities to 5,504.

“A total of 983 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 9,132 are under the Home-Based Isolation and Care program,” said Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe in a statement to newsrooms.

Some 42 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 40 of them on ventilatory support while two of them are on supplemental oxygen.

"Another 217 patients are on supplemental oxygen and 213 of them are in the general wards. 4 patients are in the High Dependency Unit (HDU),” said the Ministry.

The CS said a total of 11,174,610 vaccines had been administered across the country as of January 17, 2022. Of these, 6,226,417 are partially vaccinated while those fully vaccinated are 4,822,088.

Kagwe further added that another 31,164 are doses administered to those between 15 to 18 years while 94,941 are booster doses.

“The proportion of adults fully vaccinated was 17.57%. The government is working towards vaccinating a targeted population of 27,246,033,” he said.