Kenya has recorded 805 COVID-19 cases in the last 7 days alone

Three months since Kenya confirmed the first COVID-19 case on May 13, 2020 the rate of infection is now getting on a worrying trend.

The total number of infections rose to 2,767 on Sunday following confirmation of 167 new infections which marked the country’s highest single-day tally.

However, what portends danger for the country is that out of the 2,767 cases confirmed so far, 805 of them have been recorded over a one-week period in the month of June alone.

On June 1st, the Ministry of Health announced confirmation of 59 cases, followed by 72 on June 2nd then 123 on June 3rd with 124 cases being recorded on June 4.

On June 5th, a total of 134 patients tested positive for the coronavirus, followed by 126 on June 6 when the government resolved to extend the COVID-19 containment measures including the nationwide curfew, restriction of movement and a ban on social gatherings.

And on Sunday, June 7 the number has shot up to a record high of 167 new infections.

A report from the Ministry of Health on Sunday showed there are 865 COVID-19 patients admitted at various hospitals in the country.

Out of the 865 active cases, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital (KUTRRH) has admitted the majority of the patients at 364 followed by Alupe Hospital which has 73 patients.

42 patients are admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital while Nairobi Hospital and Agha Khan had 13 and 12 patients respectively as of Sunday.

In his eighth Presidential address on the coronavirus pandemic, President cited the rising rate of infections and projections by the Ministry of Health on possibility of a spike in the spread of the virus as a reason for the extension of the measures.

“I must admit that opinion was divided on how we are to advance against this virus. Some, including myself, wanted to open up now.  That was, and is still my desire. I want to open up at the earliest opportunity and get the economy going,” he said.

“Truth be told, if we had not taken the stringent measures we did in March 2020, the rate of infections would have peaked to 800,000 people by July 30^th And if one infected person has potential to infect two people, this number would have hit 2.4 million people in 21 days.  By the end of august, 75,000 Kenyans would have died from this virus.  But because of the early interventions we took, we have recorded only 2,600 infections and 83 deaths,” he said.

Kenyatta said according to health experts in the government, relaxing the interventions by 20% would lead to 200,000 infections and 30,000 deaths by December 2020.

“Further, if we relax the interventions by 40%, the infections will peak in November 2020 with 300,000 infected and 40,000 deaths. And if we relax them by 60%, the pandemic will peak in October with 450,000 infections and 45,000 deaths,” he added.