NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health confirmed the total number of COVID-19 cases increased to 26,436 on Sunday after 599 more people tested positive in the last 24 hours.
Mutahi Kagwe, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health said the total number of patients who have been discharged from home-based care programs and hospitals rose to 12,961 with 1,062, the highest daily recovery recorded in the past 24 hours.
"I am pleased to inform you that today, 1,062 patients have been discharged, 79 are from facilities and 983 from the home-based care program. This is the highest number of discharges realized so far in 24 hours," Kagwe told a televised news conference from Kisumu.
Kagwe said 983 patients of the latest recoveries are from home-based care programs while 79 were discharged from various health facilities in the country.
Kagwe said the new infections are from 4,420 samples tested across the country between Saturday and Sunday.
He said that out of the 599 people, 593 are Kenyan nationals while six are foreign nationals.
Kagwe noted that two patients succumbed to the respiratory disease, bringing the total number of deaths to 420.
The east African nation has so far tested a total of 353,727 samples since the disease was first reported on March 13.
Meanwhile, George Magoha, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Education said opening dates for schools can still change depending on the reduction of COVID-19 cases despite earlier plans to open learning institutions in January 2021.
"Our schools can still be re-opened early if we flatten the COVID-19 infection curve," Magoha said. Enditem
