This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
As Kenya's Covid-19 cases continue to rise, President Uhuru Kenyatta is under pressure to decide whether to lift lockdown measures. The country has reported 7,886 cases as of July 5, with a cumulative total of 189,263 tests carried out.
Health CAS Rashid Aman has warned that Kenya is experiencing the steepest part of the infection rate curve, with many more people in need of critical care that could overwhelm health care facilities.
On June 6, President Uhuru warned that Covid-19 infections would surge if lockdown measures are eased, citing the example of Iran, which reported a record number of daily coronavirus cases after relaxing its lockdown in May and June 2020.
However, various counties have been ramping up their level of preparedness by procuring Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), with the County Government of Kiambu being hailed as a model county in the fight against Covid-19.
As President Uhuru prepares to deliver his highly anticipated speech on Monday, July 6, he faces a tough choice: whether to ease lockdown measures and risk a surge in cases, or to maintain restrictions and potentially prolong the economic impact of the pandemic.
On July 4, Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya congratulated county boss James Nyoro for surpassing the 300 Covid-19 isolation and treatment bed capacity stipulated by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
As the country waits with bated breath for President Uhuru's decision, one thing is clear: the path forward will be informed by data, and the consequences of his choice will be far-reaching.
