The number of COVID-19 infections in Kenya rose to 253,737 on Friday after the health ministry reported 76 new cases out of a sample of 6,267 tests carried out in the past 24 hours.

Deaths linked to the virus in the country remain 5,296, with no new deaths recorded during this period.

Kenya’s number of COVID-19 cases is the seventh highest in Africa, while its death toll is the eighth highest.

The country has seen a drop in its caseload in recent weeks, prompting the government to lift some restrictions that had been in place for more than 18 months.

Last month, President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted the nationwide nighttime curfew that was imposed in March 2020. Sports fans are also now allowed to attend matches in stadiums, regarding protocols sanitary facilities.

The Kenyan government launched its mass vaccination campaign in March 2021, initially targeting groups considered to be at high risk, including the elderly, healthcare workers and those with underlying conditions.

As of Friday, some 5,546,979 doses of the vaccine had been administered, with the number of people fully vaccinated rising to 1,782,212.