Kenya has recorded 1,127 new cases of COVID 19 tested from a sample size of 5,393 conducted in the last 24 hours. The country’s positivity rate has also continued to rise, hitting 22.1% today. Giving the daily updates of the disease, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Rashid Aman said the new cases comprise 38 foreigners.
210 patients have recovered from COVId 19, 110 of them from the home based and isolation care program. Sadly Kenya has lost 3 people in the last 24 hours, with another 22 deaths being reports from facility records of deaths that occured in different dates. This pushes the country’s death toll from the virus to 2,048.
Meanwhile, 1,090 patients are admitted various hospitals, with 3,224 are on home based isolation and care program. Another 135 patients are in the Intensive Care Units
The new numbers come as The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) cautioned that there are no spaces left within Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across the country.In a statement Acting Secretary General/CEO Chibanzi Mwachonda urged all members of the public and the political leadership to adhere to COVID-19 protocols to save healthcare workers.
According to Mwachonda currently 10 doctors are admitted to various hospitals yet we are at a point where we need many doctors in the counties.
The Secretary-general has reiterated that arising number of infections will lead to a high caseload and overwhelm the already stretched healthcare system as evidenced by the lack of adequate ICU units and personnel to handle severe COVID-19 cases.
Mwachonda has also said March 2021 has recorded an increase in healthcare workers infection and this indicates the need for extra precaution by members of the public seeking healthcare services in hospitals.
Separately,Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has reported that all the 15 ICU beds in level 5 hospitals in the county, as well as the 12 HDU beds are full with sever COVID 19 patients. He said all the 42 ICU/HDU beds with oxygen points are also full.Governor Mutua said the situation is dire, as patients are waiting for others to die just to be able to get a bed.
He advised Kenyans to be wise, vigilantly wear Masks and avoid crowded places like bars.