ICU admissions on the rise as Omicron batters Kenya
ICU admissions on the rise as Omicron batters Kenya
The Ministry of Health has decried the increasing number of COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as the country continues to experience a resurgence in the number of infections, attributed to the Omicron variant.
Statistics from the Ministry indicate that 14 patients are in the ICU, seven of them on ventilatory support while seven are on supplemental oxygen.
At the same time, a total of 278 patients are currently admitted to various health facilities countrywide, while 4,996 are under the home-based isolation and care program.
In the last 24 hours, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced that 1,372 people had tested positive for COVID-19 from a sample size of 5,635 tested, pushing the positivity rate to 24.4 percent.
The total confirmed positive cases are now 263,707 while the cumulative tests so far conducted are 2,930,320.
“From the cases, 1,260 are Kenyans while 112 are foreigners; 699 are females and 673 are males, while the youngest is a five-month-old child and the oldest is 90 years," said Mr Kagwe.
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In terms of County distribution, Nairobi led with 836 cases, followed by Kiambu with 123, and Nakuru with 68. Machakos recorded 49, Kericho 44, Kajiado 41, Uasin Gishu 37, Mombasa 35, Murang’a 18, Busia 14, Kwale 13, Kakamega and Siaya recorded 11 cases each.
Kisumu and Nyeri each recorded nine cases. Migori eight, West Pokot six, Kitui five, Tharaka Nithi, Narok, and Meru recorded four cases each.
Embu and Laikipia had three cases each while Baringo, Isiolo, Makueni, Nandi, and Taita Taveta had two cases each. Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Mandera, Kilifi, Nyandarua, Kisii and Homa Bay recorded a case aech.
The Ministry further noted that 74 patients recovered from the virus, 24 of them from the home-based isolation and care program and 50 from various health facilities countrywide.
The total recoveries now stand at 249,296. However, no death was reported, maintaining the death toll at 5,353.
On vaccination, a total of 8,861,039 vaccines had been administered across the country as of December 18.
