NAIROBI, Kenya 

Kenya recorded 1,153 new coronavirus infections on Saturday. 

A total of "1,153 persons tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, from a sample size of 9,316 tested in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 156,318. Cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,641,015. The positivity rate stood at 12.4%," Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi said in a statement.

Kenya announced as of Saturday that 822,651 residents had been vaccinated against the virus by the end of day Friday.

"Number comprises of targeted groups including health care workers, security personnel, teachers and people aged over 58 years," said Mwangangi.

She noted sadly that 20 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours bringing fatalities to 2,603.

The news comes one day after Kenya released prisoners to relieve congestions in prisons, with plans to release more.

"Since the pandemic was first reported in the country, we have released over 14,000 inmates as part of decongesting prisons in line with Health Ministry directives," Prisons Correctional Services Principal Secretary Zeinab Hussein said at a news conference.

Kenya also said 1,453 patients are currently in various health facilities nationwide, while 6,832 patients are on home-based isolation and care.

A total of 210 are in the intensive care units, 49 on ventilatory support and 130 on supplemental oxygen.

Thirty-one patients are on observation.