The number of Coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 246 after 12 more people tested positive for the virus.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, in a press briefing at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday, April 17, stated the 12 were confirmed from 450 samples tested since Thursday.
“As we stand now, we have tested 450 samples. Out of these, we have 12 positive cases, and we are yet to even reach the end of the day. Five are hotel workers and four from our contact tracing,” he stated.
The Health CS added that the government was working to expand the testing capacity so that contacts of patients who have tested positive can be traced and tested soonest possible, to control the spread of the pandemic.
“What this tells you is that we need to really, really start the testing capacities so that the contacts of those people who are positive can also be tested,” he stated.
Kagwe appreciated Transport CS James Macharia and Kenya Airways for helping in the transport of equipment needed to help in the fight against the pandemic.
He had gone to the JKIA accompanied by other government officials including Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and a host of other government leaders.
Addressing the nation, he highlighted that Kenya’s testing capacity had grown exponentially, a matter that he stated would go a long way in facilitating testing on a wider scale across the nation.
“Our testing capability has gone up dramatically and we have tested over 10,000 individuals. The Ministry of Health has received more testing reagent that will allow us to scale up our testing capabilities in targeted areas and eventually to the wider Kenyan population,” he stat