On Thursday, August 6, Kenya recorded 538 Covid-19 cases over a 24-hour period, bringing the total number of cases to 24,411.
Addressing the media from Afya House, Health CAS Rashid Abdalla announced that 6,195 samples had been tested in the same period, bringing the total number of samples tested to 335,318.
In terms of age, 333 were male while 205 were female while the oldest case recorded is 85 years old and the youngest is a two-year-old baby.
Nairobi (277) continues to lead in the number of cases followed by Kiambu (72), Kajiado (55), Nakuru (25), Nyeri (20), Muranga (15), Machakos (9), Busia (8), Mombasa (7), Migori (7), Mandera (6), Laikipia (6), Bomet (6), Meru (3), Narok (3), Kisii (3) and Trans Nzoia (3).
Other cases in the counties include; Tharaka Nithi (2), Uasin Gishu (2), Makueni (2) while Wajir, Samburu, Kwale, Kisumu, Kericho and Baringo one case each.
An additional 514 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, bringing the number of recoveries to 10,444. Of the new recoveries, 431 are from the home-based care program while 83 are from hospitals.
Unfortunately, 8 patients succumbed to the virus, bringing the total number of fatalities to 399. Six of the fatalities had underlying conditions.
Aman urged lactating mothers to continue breastfeeding their infants exclusively for six months even in the wake of Covid-19.
“Transmission of this virus via breast milk is highly unlikely. Research has shown that the benefits of breast milk substantially outweigh the potential risks for Covid-19 transmission,” he stated.
Aman advised mothers to wash their hands before breastfeeding as well as wear their facemask. He added that severe Covid-19 illness in healthy newborns was rare.
“Support the issue of breastfeeding for a healthy society. As at now, only Only three out of five infants are exclusively breastfed in the first 6 months,” Aman stated.