16 more new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Kenya, raising the country’s tally to 262 on Saturday.
15 of the latest coronavirus cases are Kenyans while one is a foreigner according to Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
CS Kaggwe attributed the rise in the number of cases to the enhanced testing capacity the country has developed.
“In 24 hours we have doubled our testing capacity compared to our previous records” He said.
He said for the first time the country conducted 1115 tests run in 24 hours in targeted areas with the hope of controlling the spread of the virus.
Of the 16 new confirmed cases, 9 are from Nairobi, 5 from Mombasa, and 1 from Homa Bay County.
“None of the confirmed cases has a travel history, and none is under quarantine” CS Kagwe said.
CS Kagwe noted that the increase in positive cases after increased testing speaks to urgency to test Kenyans, and everyone should assume that the person next to them have the disease.
2 more patients died of coronavirus in Kenya during the same period raising the number of deaths to 12, while 7 were discharged after recovery on Saturday. The number of patients discharged also rose to 60.
Earlier this week, health officials said the Kenya had received an assortment of medical equipment from China that will enable the country to conduct wider testing for the coronavirus.
Officials said the first phase of the mass testing campaign will prioritize high-density areas such as slums and high-risk areas such as hospitals and quarantine facilities.