Kenya's COVID-19 cases top 173,000 as deaths hit 3,326

FILE PHOTO: A local isolation ward for patients with COVID-19 in Machakos, Kenya. /VCG

The number of COVID-19 infections in Kenya surpassed the 173,000 mark on Tuesday amid a spike in daily new cases in the country's western region.

According to the health ministry, 433 persons tested positive for the disease from a total of 4,479 tested in the last 24 hours. This now brings the country's cumulative infections to 173,072.

The ministry also reported 18 deaths recorded in the same period, raising the total number of virus-related fatalities to 3,326.

Kenya has seen an upsurge in daily new COVID-19 infections in the western city of Kisumu, prompting regional authorities there to impose stricter containment measures.

The Kisumu County government earlier announced the closure of county offices and a crackdown on persons flouting government-imposed containment measures.

Some of the measured introduced by the Kenyan government to contain the pandemic include a nationwide nighttime curfew, a ban on large public gatherings and the mandatory wearing of face masks.