Nairobi — COVID-19 cases have continued to surge in the lake side region after Kisumu and Siaya counties on Tuesday accounted for 35 per cent of the national infections.

Out of the 433 cases reported by Ministry of Health, Kisumu led with 129 cases, followed by Nairobi with 84 and Siaya came third with 24 cases.

On the same day, Homa Bay County Health department headquarters was closed after five senior officials at the department tested positive for COVID-19.

The county Health Administrator Elly Odhiambo said they had closed down the offices for a period of one week to reduce further spread of COVID-19 at the health department headquarters.

The surge in cases at the region come a week after Kisumu County hosted this year's Madaraka day celebrations which attracted huge crowds with disregard to social distancing.

The country's COVID-19 positivity rate stood at 9.7 per cent while the number of cases reported in the country since March 2020 stood at 173,072.

The country's COVID-related fatalities increased to 3,326 after 18 virus -linked deaths were reported, all being late reporting from April and May records.

The total number of recoveries stood at 118,621 after 395 patients recovered from the disease.

The ministry said a total of 1,125 COVID patients were admitted in various health facilities across the country while 4,895 patients were on home-based care program.