Kenya reports first COVID-19 related death

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Health CS Mutahi Kagwe during one of the daily coronavirus updates./COURTESY

Kenya added to the global number of COVID-19 deaths after reporting the first coronavirus related death on Thursday.

The 66-year-old Kenyan had been admitted at Aga Khan Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit

“The man who was suffering from diabetes had arrived in the country on March 13th from South Africa via Swaziland,” read the press statement issued by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.

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This comes just a few hours after lawmakers took a 30% paycut to gear up with tough economic times cushioned by the slowing down of economic activities.

In a media briefing at parliament buildings National Assembly speaker Justin Muturi and his Senate counterpart Ken Lusaka said that the move is to raise a fund drive to mitigate the Corona Virus pandemic, as directed by the president.

They said that the cut will last for three months or further, until the pandemic subsides.

Lusaka said that they will be holding consultations to make sure that all parliamentarians follow suit.

Muturi urged the treasury to employ mechanisms on where the funds will be channeled to.

“It is with my expectation as we sat with my brother, that the National treasury will be coming up with mechanisms of where these resources are going to be channeled to,” Muturi said.

COVID-19 has so far claimed more than 22,000 lives globally and infected more than 491,000. Those who have recovered from the disease are 118,060 putting the number of total active cases at almost 360,000.

On Wednesday, President Kenyatta said the government will be imposing a daily curfew from Friday at 7pm, a move made to help in implementing physical and social distancing.

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The country currently has 31 confirmed cases, one death, and one recovery; bringing the total number of active cases to 29.

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