This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
Kenya's Covid-19 cases continue to rise, with 538 new cases reported on Thursday, August 6, 2020, bringing the total number of cases to 24,411.
Health CAS Rashid Abdalla announced the new cases during a press briefing at Afya House, where he also revealed that 6,195 samples had been tested in the same period, bringing the total number of samples tested to 335,318.
According to the Health Ministry, the new cases include 333 males and 205 females, with the oldest case recorded being 85 years old and the youngest being a two-year-old baby.
The counties with the highest number of cases are Nairobi (277), Kiambu (72), Kajiado (55), Nakuru (25), Nyeri (20), Muranga (15), Machakos (9), Busia (8), Mombasa (7), Migori (7), Mandera (6), Laikipia (6), Bomet (6), Meru (3), Narok (3), Kisii (3), and Trans Nzoia (3).
Additionally, there are cases in Tharaka Nithi (2), Uasin Gishu (2), Makueni (2), Wajir (1), Samburu (1), Kwale (1), Kisumu (1), Kericho (1), and Baringo (1).
On a positive note, 514 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, bringing the number of recoveries to 10,444. Of the new recoveries, 431 are from the home-based care program while 83 are from hospitals.
Unfortunately, 8 patients succumbed to the virus, bringing the total number of fatalities to 399. Six of the fatalities had underlying conditions.
Health CAS Rashid Abdalla urged lactating mothers to continue breastfeeding their infants exclusively for six months even in the wake of Covid-19.
"Transmission of this virus via breast milk is highly unlikely. Research has shown that the benefits of breast milk substantially outweigh the potential risks for Covid-19 transmission," he stated.
Abdalla advised mothers to wash hands before breastfeeding as well as wear their facemask. He added that severe Covid-19 illness in healthy newborns was rare.
"Support the issue of breastfeeding for a healthy society. As at now, only three out of five infants are exclusively breastfed in the first 6 months," Abdalla stated.
