Good News for Kenya's Covid-19 Positive Individuals

Summary:

• Covid-19 cases in Kenya soar
• The Government of Kenya takes responsibility on quarantined Kenyans
• Kenya to take punitive measures on areas hard by corona virus
• Worldwide cases report

(Photo courtesy)

While the government of Kenya through the Ministry of Health's Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has been doing a good job in updating us on the situation in the country on matters Covid-19, most of the citizens and more so prominent persons had become bored with the 3 pm daily updates.

The previously long awaited updates had become a song, filled with worldwide updates, threats on those not wearing masks and not keeping social distance with the climax always being, "...in the last 24 hours, dear Kenyans, we have tested a xxx number of people in (mostly 14 counties), out of these..." you all know the rest.

The Good News

The good news today is that effective immediately, the Government of Kenya will be responsible for all costs incurred by those placed on quarantine in government facilities.

This has come as a reprieve to those who test positive of the deadly virus. Initially, it was personal responsibility for you to take care of your bills and other needs when in the government's "forced quarantine" facilities. The estimated cost for two weeks is Ksh 30,000 which is a very high figure for most Kenyans who survive on less than a dollar a day. This had made it difficult for the government to enroll mass testing that would give us the true state of infected Kenyans.

This is a reprieve for all and will see more people come out and get tested.

It is however important to note that this only applies to targeted testing and quarantine government facilities effective 6th May, 2020.

The current number of infected people stands as follows as at May 6, 2020:

New Cases	47
Total Positive Cases	582
Recoveries Today	8
Total Recoveries	190
New Fatalities	2
Total Fatalities	26
Active Cases	366

Strict Measures

The government has thus banned movement in and out of Eastleigh in Nairobi and Old Town in Mombasa for the next 15 days and all market places and eateries in these places shut down. CS Mutahi Kagwe was yesterday amazed at how most Kenyans abused the privilege of opening restaurants terming it as a means to see people do not starve but the citizenry took the advantage and abused alcohol.

Eyebrows raised...

The question we ask today is, will we see a decline in forced quarantine cases and an increase in the number of infections? Will there be more "prison breaks" from quarantine facilities given that the engorgement is not know to provide the best of services, especially when we remember most people in these facilities complained of poor sanitation, lack of care and poor diets??

We all will wait and see. in the meantime, stay safe, wear a mask and observe social distancing.

Kenyans wearing face masks to ward off Covid-19 virus
(Photo Courtesy)

 EVOLUTION WORLDWIDE

Asia

China: A total of 82,883 cases have been confirmed, including 4,633 deaths.

Japan: 201 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 15,784 cases. Government officials have extended the nationwide state of emergency until May 31, which was due to expire on May 6.

South Korea: Two new cases have been reported since the previous day, bringing the total to 10,806 cases, including 255 deaths.

New Zealand: The total number of cases has been adjusted to 1,486. New Zealand has reported less than 10 new cases per day since April 18 and this is the second consecutive day that the country has reported no new cases.

Europe

Austria: 29 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 15,650 cases. The total number of deaths in the country is 606. There have been no indications of an accelerating number of new COVID-19 infections despite Austria being one of the first European countries to ease lockdown measures on April 1. The government has urged the public to continue implementing social distancing rules and to wear face masks on public transport and in government buildings.

Finland: 85 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 5,412 cases. Starting June 1, government officials will begin to lift some restrictions on public services such as libraries and sports facilities. The country will also adjust the ban on public meetings, increasing the number of individuals allowed to gather to 50 people. On May 13, schools will be reopened across the country.

France: 576 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 132,967. The total number of deaths in the country is 25,531.

Germany: 743 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 166,502 cases. The total number of deaths in the country is 6,993. This is less than a 0.5% increase in the cumulative case count over the past 24h. The number of new COVID-19 cases reported per day is showing a downward trend and decreased to a new low for the second consecutive day.

Italy: 1,075 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 213,013 cases. The total number of deaths in the country is 29,315. This is the lowest number of new cases per day reported in two months. The country has begun easing lockdown measures progressively.

Russia: 10,102 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 155,370 cases. This is a 7% increase in the cumulative case count over the past 24h, and is the third consecutive day that the country has recorded over 10,000 cases in a 24-hour period. The total number of deaths in the country is 1,451. Due to the sharp increase in the number of new cases, Russia has extended the country-wide restriction measures until at least 11May.

Spain: 2,260 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 250,561 cases. The total number of deaths in the country is 25,613. The current cumulative case count includes roughly 30,000 people that were asymptomatic or recovered from the disease and were later identified by antibody tests. To note, the official statistics do not capture those who died in nursing homes in March and April before they could be tested.

Turkey: 1,614 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 12,659 cases. The total number of deaths in the country is 3,461. Turkey has conducted 35,771 tests over the past 24h, raising the total number of tests during the outbreak to more than 1.170 million.

United Kingdom: 4,406 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 194,990 cases. The total number of deaths across the UK is 29,427. The United Kingdom has surpassed Italy as the country with the largest death toll in Europe.

Middle East

Afghanistan: 330 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 3,224 cases. This is an 11% increase in the cumulative case count over the past 24h. This is the first time since the beginning of the outbreak that the country has reported over 300 new cases within a 24-hour period. Furthermore at least 6 poliomyelitis cases were confirmed over the weekend.

Bahrain: 150 new cases have been reported, bringing the total to 3,533 cases and eight deaths. This was the highest increase in cases since the previous week.

Iran: At least 99,970 cases have been confirmed, including 6,340 deaths.

Iraq: A total of 2,431 cases and 102 deaths have been reported. The Higher Committee for Health and National Safety has announced that vehicles will be allowed on the road on alternate days, based on their license plate numbers (odd and even).

Oman: At least 2,735 cases and 13 deaths have been confirmed.

Saudi Arabia: 1,595 new cases and nine deaths have been reported, resulting in a total of 30,251 cases and 200 deaths.

United Arab Emirates: The total number of cases has reached 15,192, including 146 deaths.

Africa

Angola: One new case was reported, bringing the total to 36 cases with two deaths.

Cameroon: At least 2,104 cases and 64 deaths have been confirmed.

Democratic Republic of Congo: 23 new cases have been reported, bringing the total to 705 cases and 34 deaths.

Ghana: 550 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 2,719. This is a 25% increase in cumulative case count since the last reporting day (May 2).

Guinea-Bissau: 156 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 413. This is a 61% increase in the cumulative case count since the last reporting day (May 2).

Kenya: 47 new cases have been reported, which was the highest increase in daily cases. The total has reached 582 cases including 26 deaths.

Madagascar: Two new cases have been reported, resulting in a total of 151 cases.

Mali: 32 new cases and three deaths have been reported, bringing the total to 612 cases and 32 deaths.

Mozambique: At least 81 cases have been confirmed in Madagascar.

Nigeria: 148 new cases and five deaths have been reported, bringing the total to 2,950 cases with 98 deaths.

Senegal: Has reported at least 1,329 cases and 11 deaths.

Sierra Leone: 33 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 199 cases. This is a 20% increase in the cumulative case count over the past 24h and is the first time since the beginning of the outbreak that Sierra Leone has reported more than 30 new cases in a 24-hour period. The total number of deaths in the country is 11.

Somalia: 113 new cases were reported bringing the total number to 835 cases. This is a 16% increase in the cumulative case count over the past 24h and is the first time since the beginning of the outbreak that Somalia has reported more than 100 new cases in a 24-hour period. The total number of deaths in the country is 38.

South Africa: A total of 7,572 cases have been confirmed, including 148 deaths.

Americas

Canada: 1,279 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 61,981 cases. The total number of deaths in the country is 4,122. This is a 2% increase in the cumulative case count over the past 24h.

Chile: 2,353 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 22,016 cases. This is a 12% increase in the cumulative case count over the past 24h and is the first time since the beginning of the outbreak that Chile has reported more than 2,000 new cases in a 24-hour period. The total number of deaths in the country is 275.

Haiti: 12 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 100. This is a 15% increase in cumulative case count, and is the first day that over 10 cases were reported within a 24-hour period.

Honduras: 123 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 1,178 cases. This is a 12% increase in the cumulative case count and is the second non-consecutive day Honduras has reported over 100 cases within a 24-hour period.

United States: 21,913 new cases were reported, bringing the total number to 1,228,735 cases. The total number of deaths in the country is 71,548. States in the Midwest and in the South have been experiencing an upward trend in new cases, notably in some small towns, as well as in nursing homes, meatpacking plants, and prisons.

New countries

No new countries have reported cases of COVID-19.

(Source: https://pandemic.internationalsos.com/)