Covid-19 in Kenya: Over 916,000 vaccinated so far

The Health ministry said that among them were 77,381 security officers, 143,650 teachers, 160,933 health workers as well as 534,836 people aged 58 and above, and others.

The number of the over 58s who have taken the jab so far represents more than half of those who have been vaccinated in the country.

Willis Akhwale, chairman of Covid-19 Vaccine Development Taskforce, said recently that the elderly are targeted because they are at severe risk and account for 60 per cent of recorded deaths in the nation.

Kenya launched the vaccination programme on March 8, with the first phase targeting 1.25 million people at high risk of infection.

While many of Kenya’s elderly went to be vaccinated because they are among high-risk groups, young people have also taken the jabs because of the nature of their jobs.

Caroline Nelima, a banker in Nairobi, said: “Our employer organised for us to take the vaccine because we handle cash and interact with tens of people daily.”

One such elderly person is Andrew Wandera, a resident of Busia County.

The 62-year-old retired teacher visited the main referral hospital in the county a few days after the announcement and got the jab.

Mr Wandera recounted Friday that he influenced other older persons in his church and neighborhood to get the vaccine.

“There were lots of misconceptions in the village about the vaccine, with some saying one becomes very sick after getting it but I used myself as an example to encourage fellow elders to get the vaccine,” said Mr Wandera by phone, adding his wife, 59, also got vaccinated.

Kenya is now working with Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) for assistance in procuring more vaccines, according to CS Kagwe.

In his statement on Sunday, Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe reported 316 new Covid-19 cases from a sample of 4,251 tested within a day, which placed the positivity rate at 7.4 per cent.

He said the number of confirmed cases since last March had reached 163,554 while the number of tests carried out so far stood at 1,719,289.

Out of those new patients, 308 were Kenyans and eight foreigners, 204 male and 112 female, the youngest four months old and the oldest 89.

Nairobi County remained in the lead with 97 new infections and was followed by Kisii and Kilifi counties with 38, Taita Taveta 34, Uasin Gishu 17, Mombasa 15, Kiambu 11, Murang’a nine, Nyeri seven, Kwale six and Kericho, Nandi and Machakos five each.

Kajiado, Migori and Nakuru counties were next with three new patients each, Meru and Bungoma two each, and Elgeyo Marakwet, Siaya, Garissa, Smaburu, Kakamega, Kirinyaga, Siaya, Turkana, Laikipia, Narok, Lamu, Wajir and West Pokot one each.

CS Kagwe also reported 12 more deaths but explained that only one occurred over the past 24 hours while the other 11 took place over the last one month. The death toll rose to 2,895.

He further announced that the number of recoveries had risen by 62 to 111,191, adding 39 of the patients were treated in hospital and 23 under the home-based care programme.

By Sunday, 1,099 patients had been admitted to health facilities countrywide while 6,290 were under home-based isolation and care.

One hundred and thirty three patients were under intensive care, 27 of them on ventilator support, 81 on supplemental oxygen and 25 under observation.

Another 102 patients were separately on supplementary oxygen, 96 of them in general wards and six in high dependency units.

ambuthia@ke.nationmedia.com