Covid-19 To Spread in All Counties Amid Test Kits Shortage

Covid-19 will most likely spread in all Kenyan counties according to the Ministry of Health.

The Health Ministry argues that the virus could spread due to a number of factors but admitting that inadequate testing kits are affecting the number of tests being conducted in most counties.

So far, only nine counties out of the total 47 are yet to confirm the Covid -cases while 38 counties have already reported the cases. Marsabit was the, latest to report a case according to MoH.

According to CAS Rashid Aman, it is inevitable that all the 47 counties will soon report at least a case adding that if tests are ramped up in such areas, the probability of detecting a case is very high.

“It is true that the fact that a county has not registered a case doesn’t mean that Covid-19 is not being transmitted in the community. Going in there and testing on a large scale you are likely to find some cases. That is why our testing keeps advancing, ” said Dr. Aman while giving the Covid-19 brief on Monday, 8 June 2020.

The ministry admitted it has a backlog of 5000 test kits which have hindered testing, especially in the rural areas. This has affected the number of tests being conducted daily and in turn, affects the number of cases being recorded.

On Monday, only 1,096 samples were tested and this took the number of new Covid-19 cases to 95. It was the first time there were more recoveries (at 97)as compared to the number of new positive cases.

The Ministry said the tests should not only be conducted in hotspots but also in the areas that have not reported a case since early detection will help the counties deal with the threat soon enough.

“In fact, from a safe point of view, you go to hotspots but it is also important that you go to places where the virus has not been discovered because you want to know before it is too late if a place reported not to have a case may actually have cases.”

Following the briefings on Monday, Kenya has so far reported 2,862 cases with the number of fatalities hitting 85 while recoveries now standing at 849.

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