257 health workers infected with virus - CS Kagwe

A total of 257 health workers in the country have contracted the Coronavirus, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has confirmed.

Speaking in Makueni on Wednesday, Kagwe said they are continuing to issue PPEs to health workers to protect them.

With the eased restrictions, the countries cases are expected to rise exponentially.

Kagwe said the government has hired 252 healthcare personnel of all cadres, for Makueni County, to boost human resource capacity, while the process of hiring another 110 is on-going.

Kenya's coronavirus cases hit 8,528 on Wednesday after 278 more people tested positive.

This is from a sample of 3,053 tests conducted in the same period.

The CS said action must be taken to limit the spread failure to which the country's healthcare facilities risk being overwhelmed.

"All counties except five have reported Covid-19 cases. It will just be a matter of time before all counties are affected," he said.

Health ministry officials  are expected to visit all the 47 counties to ensure they have ICU beds in preparation of an expected Covid-19 surge.

Counties were directed to ensure that each of the counties establish 300 isolation bed capacities and also increase ICU beds.

Funds worth Sh 5B were also disbursed towards the same.

    "We are training people at the county level so that there is capability of taking care of the cases. Most of the cases are asymptomatic. They are not sick but can pass the virus," Kagwe said.