This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
Published on May 22, 2020, Nairobi — The COVID-19 recovery rate in Kenya has risen to 375 after nine more patients were discharged from hospital on Thursday.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe attributed the hope of recovery for more patients to the dedication of healthcare workers.
However, the death toll in the country stood at 50 on Thursday, with the latest victim being James Waswa Wetangula, a brother to legislators Moses Wetangula (Bungoma Senator) and Tim Wanyonyi (Westlands MP).
Waswa was buried in Bungoma on Wednesday, at a ceremony attended by only 60 people, including the two leaders. He was Wanyonyi's Personal Assistant.
Kagwe urged Kenyans to heed the government's protective measures to help flatten the curve, which has been rising sharply since last week.
On Thursday, Kenya recorded 80 new infections, raising the total number of cases to 1,109.
"I am pleading with you to take this matter seriously because as you can see the numbers are rising by the day," Kagwe said.
Public health officials are projecting the peak for COVID-19 in August or September, with the country likely to record up to 200 cases a day.
The 80 new cases were spread across Mombasa (20), Nairobi (41), Siaya (7), Kwale (6), Garissa (3), and one in Taita Taveta.
Notably, the cases reported in Siaya were among mourners from Nairobi's Kibera slum, who obtained a fake permit to attend a burial, only for all seven to turn positive.
"The Siaya story is a sad one because the departure point of that case is in Kibera. Somebody in Kibera, without the authority to travel, signed a document that was respected by police all the way to Siaya. The mourners themselves were positive," Kagwe said.
