This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
On June 17, 2020, the Ministry of Health sounded a warning to Kenyans over the proliferation of Rapid Diagnostic Tests kits in the market, claiming to diagnose COVID-19.
Speaking to the press, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Rashid Aman emphasized the importance of accurate testing in the fight against COVID-19, especially as the number of positive cases continues to rise.
"We have noticed that several testing kits that purport to diagnose COVID-19 have permeated the market. Our position is that, we still retain Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) as the gold standard for diagnosing COVID-19 until such a time that WHO issues an advisory on the use of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs).">
Dr. Aman urged Kenyans to seek COVID-19 testing at certified laboratories, citing the accuracy and reliability of PCR tests in detecting the presence of the virus.
PCR tests are used to directly detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, rather than the body's immune response or antibodies. This allows for early detection of the virus, even before symptoms appear.
Kenya recorded its highest number of positive cases on June 17, 2020, with 184 cases reported from a sample size of 2,518. The positive cases pushed the cumulative numbers to 4,044 out of 124,474 samples tested in the country.
Of the 184 positive cases, 129 were males and 55 were females, with all but one being Kenyan citizens. The cases were distributed across various counties, with Nairobi recording the highest number of cases at 111.
Twenty-seven patients were discharged from various facilities, bringing the tally of recoveries to 1,353. Two more patients succumbed to the disease, taking the total number of fatalities to 107.
