•The expansion of the phase I vaccination target group to include people aged above 58 years is likely to see a rise in the numbers
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
A total of 130,575 people have so far been vaccinated against Covid-19.
This is against the June target of 1.25 million.
The Health ministry in a statement on Tuesday said a total of 806,000 doses of the total 1.12 million received into the country early this month had been distributed across the country.
The expansion of the phase I vaccination target group to include people aged above 58 years is likely to see a rise in the numbers with the ministry targeting to reach at least 20,000 per day from this week.
This comes even as the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya cautioned against unauthorized marketing of Covid-19 vaccines, saying people have been marketing vaccines to the public through their social media accounts.
“In the same breadth we would like to register our awareness of cases of global trade in falsified Covid-19 vaccines that target popularized brands,” PSK president Louis Machogu said.
The official said such marketing would not only lead to an increase in proliferation of fake medicines in the country but is also unethical.
“You increase your chances of getting safe, efficacious and effective medicines by visiting your healthcare team at your regular registered healthcare facility and getting a treatment or vaccination plan,” Machogu said.
On Tuesday, 152 patients were admitted in the Intensive Care Unit due to Covid-19 complications.
From the number, 46 were on ventilatory support while 97 were on supplemental oxygen, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe confirmed in a statement.
Nine more patients were under observation. The country’s virus caseload now stands at 132,646 from 1,480,240 tests conducted to date.
“Another 89 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 78 of them in the general wards and 11 in the high dependency unit,” Kagwe said.
The CS confirmed that 1,530 more people had tested positive for the virus from a sample size of 8,010 tests conducted in 24 hours.
This represents a positivity rate of 19.1 per cent.
“Sadly, 12 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours all of them being late death reports from facility record audits that occurred on diverse dates. This pushes our cumulative fatalities to 2,147,” Kagwe said.
Data from the ministry showed that here were 1,308 patients admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 4,760 were on home based isolation and care.
“Today, 129 patients have recovered from the disease, 55 from the various health facilities countrywide while 74 are from the home based isolation and care. The total recoveries now stand at 92,290.”
In terms of distribution of cases per county, Nairobi recorded 686, followed by Nakuru with 164, Kiambu with 151, Kitui with 68, Nyeri with 67, Uasin Gishu 65, Machakos 41, Kajiado 30, Mombasa 29, Kisumu 26, Nyandarua and Embu 24 and Busia 23.
Makueni had 19, Murang’a 16, Nandi 15, Kilifi 15, Taita Taveta 10, Meru nine, Trans Nzoia eight, Laikipia, Kakamaega and West Pokot seven, Kirinyaga three, Baringo, Kisii, Turkana, Vihiga two cases each.
Bungoma, Elgeyo Marakwet, Garissa, isiolo, kericho, Nyamira, Siaya and Tharaka Nithi had one case each.