Community transmission, locally acquired, of coronavirus in Kenya, has been described as the ‘most challenging to contain’ by the Ministry of Health.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman on Saturday said the ministry’s efforts are aimed at containing that spread.
“Let us continue to observe the measures in place so that we can flatten our curve,” he said adding that, “The positive cases show that the virus is firmly within our communities, and in order to stop the cycle of transmission, I appeal to Kenyans to present themselves for testing and to observe the containment measures as advised by the Ministry of Health.”
The government is now paying for testing and quarantining at public facilities.
Mihr Thakar, an economist based in Mombasa observes that according to his data tabulated since March to date, “Kenya’s total Corona Virus cases took 2 weeks (26 April to 9 may) to double. Active cases have hit a new high for 8 straight days. suggesting a raging epidemic.”
“4.6 percent of total Covid-19 patients in Kenya have now died while 31.9 percent have recovered, marking a continuing decline in that metric, unfortunately,” he adds.
On Saturday the Ministry said the country’s coronavirus tally rose to 649 with 28 people testing positive. 24 of the new patients were Kenyans and the rest from Tanzania from 1,611 tests conducted within 24 hours.
The number of recoveries had increased to 207 with the discharge of five more patients and that the death toll had risen to 30.
“In our border points we have communities that are straddled across the border, we have families that leave on one side of the border and they do cross over. In addition to that, we have truckers who bring in cargo of agricultural products or produce. We need to be able to strengthen and control those who are coming in by testing them,” he said.
