This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
Kenya has reported its highest daily death toll from Covid-19, with 12 people losing their lives in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 197.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe made the announcement on Monday during the daily briefing on the pandemic, warning that a state of denial about the existence of the virus will have devastating consequences.
On July 13, 2020, the ministry announced 189 new cases of the virus, raising the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 10,294. The new patients were found following the testing of 1,205 samples.
Nairobi County once again had the highest number of new patients, with Dagoretti North accounting for 77, Embakasi East 10, Madaraka 10, Embakasi South and Kibra nine each, Embakasi West six, Langata four, and Kamukunji and Kasarani one each.
CS Kagwe also reported that 65 more patients had been discharged from hospital, raising the country's total number of recoveries to 2,946.
Mass testing has been conducted at Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi, where 22 health workers were found to have the virus. The hospital's status is still being evaluated before any action is taken.
Regarding the testing of members of the public, the ministry noted that there are no charges for mass testing, with private labs and government hospitals offering the service. In government hospitals, the cost is Sh1,000.
CS Kagwe defended the government's decision to end a cessation of movement order that affected hotspot counties, including Nairobi, Mombasa, and Mandera. He asked the people to take individual responsibility and warned that denial about the virus will have devastating consequences.
"You cannot whip people or put them in prison to make them understand there's a disease. There is Covid-19... even little children are singing about it... that they can get it," he said.
CS Kagwe further announced that 13 counties will get vehicles, purchased at about Sh102 million, for use in finding the contacts of Covid-19 patients.
