Kenya’s covid-19 positivity rate over the past week has sparked concern among experts who attribute the surge in infections to a relaxation of containment measures.
Over the last six days, the average national positivity rate has remained consistent at above 5 percent. At least 24 patients have also succumbed to the disease over the same period, compared to the previous week’s numbers where deaths were not recorded on some days.
“The positivity rate has remained over five percent, which is above the green zone, and we are currently in the orange zone,” said Dr Ahmed Kalebi, the CEO of Pathologists Lancet Kenya.
“Once we get to 10 percent, we will be in the red zone, which is the danger zone. We have persistently remained in the orange zone for more than a week and this is a cause for concern.”
According to the expert, the rise in infections is due to people relaxing public health containment measures.
“The positivity rate for Covid-19 is 6.1 percent (for Sunday), a clear sign of increased community spread and relaxation in our public health containment measures,” added Dr Andrew Sule, the Board Chairman of Health Rights Advocacy Forum.
Dr Sule said the trend is a cause for concern; he advised the Health ministry to be on the lookout especially in counties bordering Tanzania.
On Tuesday, Kenya announced 194 new infections taking the total confirmed infections to 104,500. 10 patients died bringing the cumulative fatalities to 1,837.
