The Ministry of Health has recorded 307 confirmed cases of COVID-19 from a sample of 3,519, the highest number in the last 24 hours.

This pushes the country’s number of confirmed cases to 6,673.  Cumulatively the government has tested 173,355 samples, the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for Health, Dr. Rashid Aman disclosed yoday while briefing the nation on the daily COVID-19 situation

Out of the 307 cases, 298 are Kenyans while 18 are foreigners. The youngest is a one-year-old while the oldest is 81.

The new cases are distributed in the counties of Nairobi 154, Mombasa 38, Machakos, 33, Kiambu 20, Narok  20, Kajiado 14, Busia 10, Kericho 4, Makueni  and Nakuru 5 cases each, Kilifi, Kisumu, Kitui and Uasin Gishu one case each.

And in sub-counties the cases are from Nairobi, Dagoretti North 34, Kibra 22, Embakasi Central and Langata 18 cases each, Starehe (17), Westlands (14), Embakasi South  (10), Embakasi West seven, Kamukunji five, Dagoretti South, Makadara and Mathare two cases each, Embakasi Central, Roysambu and Ruaraka, one case each.

In Mombasa, the cases are in Mvita 22, Likoni 10, Changamwe five, and Nyali, one. In Machakos, the cases are in Athi River 32, and Yatta one and in Kiambu, the cases are in, Ruiru four, Kiambu Town six, Kabete and Thika, three cases each, Kiambaa two, Juja and Lari one case. All the 20 cases in Narok are from Narok North.

In Kajiado, the cases are in Kajiado Central seven, Kajiado North five, and Kajiado East two. In Busia, the cases are in Teso North six and Matayos four. In Kericho the four cases are in Ainamoi.  In Makueni, the five cases are in Kibwezi East, and in Nakuru the five cases are from Naivasha three, Nakuru East and Nakuru West one case each. In Kilifi the one case is in Kilifi North while in Kisumu the one  case is in Kisumu Central, in Kitui the  case is in Kitui Central and in Uasin Gishu the case is in Turbo.

“Today, we have also  discharged 50 patients from various hospitals, bringing to 2,089 the total number of recoveries, but we also lost one more patient to the disease bringing to 149 our fatality in the country,” he noted.

The CAS appealed to Kenyans to take personal responsibility in the fight against Coronavirus disease in view of the huge numbers the country is recording and cautioned the public that there is need to exercise caution especially now with the prevailing situation of COVID 19 infection in the country.

“Majority of Kenyans have been discussing the possibility of Government opening the economy. This discussion is unavoidable . However, individual responsibility and ramping up of preparedness are key interventions that must be at the top most of our response list,” he said.

He disclosed that Counties have been given a target of 300 bed isolation capacity by the President and must work towards achieving this requirement.

“These are weighty matters that must dominate our discussions, to aid the government in coming up with balanced measures on the way forward,” said Dr. Rashid and noted that several developed countries like USA, Australia, South Korea and Germany are experiencing major spikes in COVID-19 infections, after opening up their economies and hurriedly closing down again.

“We must strike a balance in terms of how we would like to see our country move forward, and avoid running the risk of experiencing an upsurge of cases. It is better to be safe than sorry,” he noted.

The Ag. Director General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth added that currently there are 186 health care workers  who have tested positive of COVID-19 and out of these 102 females and 84 male with a  positivity rate of ratio 2.8 percent.

On home based care, he noted that there is a strict criteria that is set to ensure one does not  pose  any danger and as we  go forward the number of home based care will increase but in a cautious manner.

“Currently there have been 600 people on home based care and 120 have been discharged. “So far we also have not lost any one who is on home based care,” Dr. Amoth said and also highlighted that some of the challenges of the home based care is that it only applies to the middle class and upper middle class people.