The global number of COVID-19 infections is almost at 750,000 with United States of America having the highest number of infections at 142,637.
Global number of people who have died from the disease is at 33,986 with Italy accounting for more than 1/3 of the number with 10,779 deaths. Spain follows with the second highest number of deaths at 6,803.
China, where the virus started, has 81,740 followed by Spain which is catching up very fast with 80,110 infections.
South Africa is leading in the number of infections in Africa with 1,280 cases, followed by Egypt with 609 cases. Algeria comes in third with 511 cases followed closely by Morocco with 479 cases.
In the East African Community, Rwanda, which is currently on lockdown, has the highest number infections with 70 cases followed by Kenya with 42 cases. Uganda, which reported its first case on 20th March, comes in third with 33 cases followed by Tanzania who have maintained a relatively low number of infections at 14.
Burundi and South Sudan are yet to report any case of the virus.
In Kenya, Nairobi has the highest number of infections at 31 followed by Kilifi with 6 cases. Mombasa has 4 confirmed cases, with Kwale and Kajiado having one case each.
The country has reported one recovery and one death bringing the total number of active cases to 40.
2,050 people who recently came back into the country are in mandatory quarantine in 14 designated places (hotels and government facilities) awaiting tests. The government is monitoring 1,426 others who came in close contact with the positive cases.
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The government says it has identified boarding schools that can be used as quarantine facilities if ever need be.
The government on Friday imposed a daily 7pm to 5am curfew to limit number of movement during the night to help in curbing the spread of the virus.
“I want to urge employers to kindly relieve their employees in time to be able to meet the curfew time of 7pm. If they do not want to allow their employees to leave on time, then they should prepare accommodation for them,” said Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe.
Apart from World Bank donating 250 ventilators to Kenya, the government is also purchasing ventilators and also looking into other ways of sourcing for some of the materials needed to fight this disease locally.
“For example, when it comes to personal protective gear, we are now at a place where we believe that starting next week, we can actually be able to start manufacturing those materials ourselves,” said CS Kagwe.
“So we are working on ensuring that we have ICU beds. We have got capacity for at least 1,000 bed that we are putting in addition to whatever else in the past, in terms of ICU capacity,” he added.
The government is also looking to hire more employees for medical institutions.
