NAIROBI, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health on Tuesday confirmed 51 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the national tally to 963.
Mutahi Kagwe, Cabinet Secretary for Health, told journalists in Nairobi that the latest infections are from 1,933 samples which were tested in the last 24 hours.
Kagwe said that a total of 22 patients recovered from the respiratory disease, bringing the total number of people who have since been discharged from hospitals to 358.
He, however, noted that there was no death during the period but added that 15 cases out of the 50 deaths that have been recorded so far are household deaths with the majority from the coastal city of Mombasa.
"So I think we should make it clear that the rising deaths in Mombasa are essentially people dying at home and we want to urge that if a person is unwell, please take them to hospital," said Kagwe.
Kagwe said 62 percent of the latest cases are male while 38 percent are female persons. He noted that out of the 214 patients whose cases were detected along with Kenya-Tanzania border points, 182 are foreigners.
The official revealed that Kenya has tested 46,784 cases, adding that the government has enhanced screening at border points.
He noted that in recent past the government has activated a mobile laboratory at Busia and Wajir border points and plans to activate additional laboratory in Isebania and mobile laboratory at Naivasha. The Kenyan government also plans to deploy a mobile laboratory to the Namanga border with Tanzania to scale up the testing capacity.
The east African nation has banned the movement of persons and passengers in and out of Kenya through the Tanzania and Somalia borders following the spike in cross-border COVID-19 transmission. Only cargo vehicles are exempted from the directive which took effect on Sunday. Enditem
