The number of COVID-19 infections in Kenya surpassed the 10,000 mark on Saturday as the country continues to see a surge in new cases.
The Health ministry announced 379 new cases, three of whom are foreigners.
The new cases take the East African country’s total infection tally to10,105.
The ministry also announced that one more patient had died in the past 24 hours, taking Kenya’s total fatalities to 185.
Kenya is one of only ten African countries that have reported more than 10,000 COVID-19 cases.
The continent has seen a surge in cases over the recent past, sparking fears the its peak if fast approaching.
Kenya hit the 10,000 mark less than a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the reopening of the country’s locked down regions and a planned reopening of the country’s international airports from 1 August.
The Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, urged Kenyans to remain vigilant so as not to spread the disease further.
“With the opening of the country we must acknowledge that… the number of infections are likely to increase,” he warned.
The latest update by Kenya comes as the World health organization urged countries around the world to use the lessons drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic to better prepare for future health crises that may arise.
“Even as we fight this pandemic, we must be readying ourselves for future global outbreaks and the many other challenges of our time such as antimicrobial resistance, inequality and the climate crisis,” said the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom. “COVID-19 has taken so much from us. But it is also giving us an opportunity to break with the past and build back better.”
