• Kenya Medical Association secretary-general Simon Kigongu said once Covid-19 was reported in counties away from the cities, the numbers were expected to rise.
• Kigongu said the Ministry of Health should collect data on where the infections are coming from and which people are adding to the numbers.
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
The government does not need to impose a second lockdown to contain the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, a medical expert has said.
Kenya Medical Association secretary-general Simon Kigongu said once Covid-19 was reported in counties away from the cities, the numbers were expected to rise.
Kigongu said the Ministry of Health should collect data on where the infection is coming from and which people are adding to the numbers.
“As you can see the disease is sort of getting input data from all over the country and we need to really define this before we see it as a surge or no surge but Covid-19 is still with us,” he said.
The number of Covid-19 cases rose sharply on Wednesday with 604 new cases reported from 5,832 samples. The surge in cases in the past few days has raised questions on whether the country was likely to be hit by a second wave.
The positivity curve has now gone to 12 per cent from 4.6 per cent when the President relaxed some containment measures and reopened the economy.
The caseload now stands at 42,541 out of 601,623 cumulative tests conducted since March.
In a statement, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said that 10 more Covid-19 patients had died, raising the fatalities to 797.
Kagwe said 88 more patients had recovered from the disease; 56 from the home-based care programme and 32 from hospitals. The number of recoveries is 31,428.
Out of the 604 new cases recorded on Wednesday, 125 were from Nairobi, Nakuru came second with 113 followed by Mombasa with 87 infections.
Busia recorded 35 new cases, Uasin Gishu 33, Trans Nzoia 25, Kiambu 25, Kisii 24, Kajiado 16, Nandi 16, Nandi 13, Kakamega 12 and Meru 11.
Other counties that recorded new cases on Wednesday include Machakos, Siaya and Garissa with seven cases each. Murang’a, West Pokot and Nyeri had five cases each while Turkana reported four, Laikipia and Wajir three, Embu, Kirinyaga, Narok, Marsabit and Taita Taveta had two cases each. Kitui, Nyamira, Tharaka Nithi, Kilifi and Nyandarua had one case each.
Kigongu said institutions should focus on putting in place measures that will put new infections at bay. Schools should ensure all learners wear masks and also provide running water and soap at all times, he said.
“The KMA had advocated for phased reopening of schools. The reasons for closure were to prepare institutions and places of work to be able to handle Covid-19 prevention measures when the economy eventually opens up,” Kigongu said.
Health CAS Rashid Aman said Tuesday that the government will not hesitate to reinstitute the containment measures should the situation go out of control.
The latest infection trend had shown the country was headed in the wrong direction, he said.