Kenya records first Covid-19 death
Thursday March 26 2020
A medical staff member holds samples from patients infected by the Covid-19 coronavirus before nucleic acid test on March 10, 2020. PHOTO | AFP
Kenya has registered its first death from the coronavirus (Covid-19), the health ministry announced on Thursday.
In a statement, Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said that the victim was a 66-year-old Kenyan man and had a long-term health condition.
"We have received the sad news of the death of first patient who had tested positive for coronavirus," said Mr Kagwe.
He had arrived into the country from South Africa through Eswatini on March 13.
The patient died at the Aga Khan Hospital intensive care unit in the capital Nairobi on Thursday afternoon.
Kenya has confirmed three more cases of coronavirus, raising the national tally to 31.
In a briefing, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi said the latest cases are all Kenyans and close contacts of previous reported cases.
Dr Mwangangi said 906 persons have been traced and are being monitored and that 18 of them at the Mbagathi Hospital.