Health CS Mutahi Kagwe visits Kisumu County to examine COVID-19 preparedness

On Sunday, Kenya recorded 599 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total confirmed cases in the country 26,436.

A total of 4,420 samples had been tested cumulatively making the total number of tests to 353,727. The new positive cases were drawn from samples tested in the last 24 hours; only six were foreigners while the remaining 593 were Kenyans.

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe and other officials in a briefing during a tour of Kisumu County also reported two more deaths and 1,062 more recoveries – the highest number of recoveries since the first case of coronavirus was confirmed on 13^th March.

Kenya’s death toll has risen to 420 and the total number of recoveries of patients to 12,961.

Of the new cases, 373 were males and 226 female patients. The youngest was a year old and oldest 82.The discharged patients numbered only 79 from hospitals and 983 from home-based care program.

In their Kisumu tour, the CS Mutihai Kagwe, his Education Counterpart Prof George Magoha and acting Director-General, Health Services Dr. Patrick Amoth examined the county’s preparedness in fight of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They visited, Maseno University Town Campus, going through the call center accompanied by Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang Nyongo, Seme MP James Nyikal and Kisumu Town East MP Shakeel Shabiir.

They also visited Kisumu Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and later examined the status of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).

The governor Prof Anyang Nyongo said that the county has a total of 401 beds with JOOTRH having 100 of the total beds

CS Mutahi Kagwe applauded Kisumu County for its adherence to the coronavirus pandemic safety protocols and the sensitization of police officers.

“The act of wearing face masks and observing all other health precautions is not a favor to law enforcement officers. It is responsibility that must be taken seriously,” CS Kagwe noted.

On his part, while clarifying that children needed to be taught at community level at no charge, Prof Magoha elaborated that the reopening of schools is only tentative and can be adjusted accordingly depending on the prevailing circumstances in regards to contention of the virus.

“The decision to reopen schools in January 2021 as part of measures to curb virus spread was reached after consultations with all the involved stakeholders.

“The children need to be taught at community level at no charge as Kenya owe no one apologies for closing down schools to save children,” Prof Magoha said.