Record 23 deaths reported as Kenya coronavirus cases reach 21,363
What you need to know:
- Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe told journalists that the country had recorded 23 deaths, the highest number in 24 hours, raising the death toll to 364.
- CS Kagwe and government officials including Transport minister James Macharia addressed journalists at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, following the reopening of the skies to international flights.
Kenya reported 727 more Covid-19 infections on Saturday, following the testing of 6,371 samples, raising the caseload to 21,363.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe also told journalists that the country had recorded 23 deaths, the highest number ever in 24 hours, raising the death toll to 364.
The total number of recovered patients increased by 254 to reach 8,491, with 88 of the patients having been discharged from the home-based care programme and the rest from hospitals.
Of the 727 new patients, 696 were Kenyans and 31 foreigners, 465 male and 262 female, the youngest a year old and the oldest 92.
As of August 1, the country had tested a total of 310,330 samples for the coronavirus.
Nairobi accounted for 470 of the new cases, Kiambu 64, Kajiado 25, Kirinyaga 20, Mombasa 16, Migori 15, Busia 13, Machakos 12 and Laikipia 11.
Nakuru, Murang'a and Kisumu recorded nine cases each, Nyeri and Siaya seven each, Nyandarua, Narok and Uasin Gishu five each, Isiolo and Nandi four each, Garissa three, Bomet, Meru, Vihiga and Homa Bay two each, and Kilifi, Bungoma, Kisii, Marsabit, Trans Nzoia and Kwale one each.
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
CS Kagwe and government officials including Transport minister James Macharia addressed journalists at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, following the reopening of the skies to international flights.
The Health ministry noted that resumption of air travel does not mean the risk of infection is lower so the public must remain careful.
As such, Mr Kagwe said, capacity building continues at the national level, in counties and at key facilities including ports and airports.
He spoke of stringent travel protocols, an emergency response plan by port health, the regular disinfection of common use areas, training of airport staff on emergency and quarantine procedures among other measures.
He asked travellers and airlines to dutifully use the mobile application that will be used to track patients.
"We are not resuming air travel because the risk of infection is not there. We are doing to because we are confident that necessary measures to resume normal economic activities are in place," he explained.
"We have to adopt to this new normal for we have no idea when the virus will be contained or just disappear."
TANZANIA TIFF
CS Macharia said flights departed from the JKIA to London in the UK, Dubai in the UAE, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Kigali in Rwanda and Dakar in Senegal.
He said arrivals are expected by Kenya Airways, KLM, British Airways and Lufthansa.
"We started on the right footing and are delighted with the developments so far," he said.
Regarding a disagreement with Tanzania, that saw Kenya Airways flights banned, he said the "minor issue" had been resolved and that operations would soon resume.
"As early as today, we will have travellers from Tanzania coming in. We have sorted out the issues ... Kenya Airways will be allowed to fly," Mr Macharia said.
He clarified that no traveller had been banned from entering Kenya and that risks were being assessed to allow them to operate without being quarantined.
"We will continue to review the list of countries [not yet allowed to fly into Kenya] to ensure we go back to where we started before Covid-19, depending on how countries are managing the virus."
