By Collins Matubwi
Kakamega
Five Covid19 patients have died in the last 24 hours bringing the death toll to 418 people who have succumbed to coronavirus disease across the country.
Two of the 418 patients who have succumbed to the virus are from Kakamega County.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe while giving the Covid19 daily updates at the new Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kakamega town made the revelations.
He was accompanied by Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa, Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, National Assembly Chief Whip Emmanuel Wangwe and acting Director General in the Ministry of Heath Dr. Patrick Amoth.
“In the last 24 hours, 699 people have tested positive of coronavirus out of a sample of 7175 people bringing the tally to 25,837 people who have tested positive of the virus in the country. Cumulatively we have conducted nearly 350,000 Covid19 tests,” said Kagwe.
Kagwe said the patients were aged between 1-85 years old, adding that 781 patients have been discharged after recovering from the virus bringing the tally to 11,899.
“Home based care of Covid19 patients is proving to be a better way of caring for Covid19 patients since no death has been reported so far. Out of the 781 patients who recovered today, 656 patients were under home based care,” said Kagwe.
He also donated 4000 PPEs and 4000 facemasks to Kakamega County.
Kagwe applauded Governor Wycliffe Oparanya for putting up a 750-bed capacity hospital where a total of Sh2.6billion have been spent on the project, saying it will go a long way in promoting the Big Four Agenda of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Governor Oparanya said Kakamega has conducted 629 tests out which 33 people tested positive of Covid19 aged between 1-88 years.
“So far we have lost two people to Covid19, discharged 28 patients after recovering while three others are still in the isolation centre in Mumias. We have three ambulances set aside for carrying Covid19 patients,” said Oparanya.
According to Oparanya, the county is using the Sh105million set aside from the emergency kitty while the Sh262million received from the government has not been used due to IFMIS delays.
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