Nairobi, Busia register highest new Covid-19 infections

Health CAS Rashid Aman.

File | Nation Media Group

By  Aggrey Omboki

Heallth reporter

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

• The positive results were from tests carried out on 4,663 samples.
• The youngest patient from Thursday’s results is a one month old infant while the oldest is 80 years old.

Five more coronavirus patients have died, raising the total number of fatalities to 567, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman said on Thursday.
Some 373 people tested positive, with 273 being male.
The positive results were from tests carried out on 4,663 samples. It means the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country rose to 33,389.

The youngest patient from Thursday’s results is a one month old infant while the oldest is 80 years old.
Nairobi county led the list with 117 cases, followed by Busia (66), Nakuru (37), Kisii (32), Homa Bay (15), Kiambu (12), Kisumu (11), Uasin Gishu (eight), Garissa,  Isiolo, Nraok and Taita-Taveta, (seven each), Mombasa (six), Murang’a and Migori (five each), Kajiado (four), Kirinyaga (four), Kericho, Nandi, Nyeri and Machakos, (three each), Bomet,  Kakamega and Kitui (two each) and Nyamira, Siaya, Turkana, Meru and Makueni (one each).

Nairobi cases were reported in Roysambu (18), Lang’ata (12), Westlands (10), Embakasi Central (nine), Dagoretti North (eight), Kamukunji (seven), Embakasi West, Kibra and Makadara (six each), Dagoretti South, Mathare and Starehe (five each) and Embakasi East, Embakasi South, Embakasi North, Kasarani and Ruaraka (four each).

Automated platforms

Busia county Covid-19 cases were recorded in Matayos, which had 66 while Teso North had four.
Nakuru reported its cases in Naivasha and Nakuru East (10 each), Rongai (five), Kuresoi North and Nakuru West (two each) with Gilgil, Molo and Njoro all having a case.
During the daily briefing at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) headquarters, Dr Aman said the organisation leads in testing for the virus in the country.

“Some 215,269 of the 433,530 tests or 50 per cent have been carried out at Kemri laboratories using manual and automated platforms,” Dr Aman said.
He added that the Kemri laboratory in Kilifi was the first to report data on DNA sequencing on more than 600 SARS-CoV-2 samples.
SARS-CoV-2 is the scientific name of the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
“It was also the first to laboratory in sub-Sahara to report preliminary data on the extent of exposure or sero-prevalence of the disease in our population,” he added.

Develop a vaccine

Dr Aman said the laboratory is working with the Ministry of Health and other development partners to develop a vaccine for the disease.
“Since the first case was reported in March, Kemri has been working with the ministry on pandemic response activities through testing and research. Using its laboratories in Nairobi, Kilifi, Kericho, Kisumu and Busia counties, Kemri has initiated research interventions,” he said.
Dr Aman added that Kemri is developing Covid-19 diagnostic products and taking part in clinical trials for drug and vaccine candidates.
He thanked the Japanese government for supporting Kemri. Japanese ambassador to Kenya Horie Ryoichi said his country would continue supporting Kenya in healthcare research and services.

He announced a donation of 5,000 kit batches that will enable the lab to test 50,000 people.
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