![Ruto said the need to let Uhuru take charge of the government’s anti-coronavirus agenda prompted his absence during the president's addresses. [PHOTO | FILE]](https://i0.wp.com/www.k24tv.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/WILLIAM-RUTO-1.jpg?resize=730%2C414&ssl=1)
Deputy President William Ruto says he is reducing the number of tours he makes across the country on a weekly basis due to the rising number of COVID-19 infections in Kenya.
In a statement posted on his Twitter page Tuesday, the deputy president said he has since cancelled his “empowerment meetings” which were to be held in Machakos, Kitui and Makueni counties at the weekend.
“The upsurge in COVID-19 cases strongly indicates that a second wave may be in the offing. For this reason, I have decided to significantly scale down my public engagements until further notice. The empowerment meetings for this weekend in Machakos, Kitui and Makueni are postponed,” said Ruto on Twitter.
His remarks come a day after Health minister, Mutahi Kagwe, said at least 100 people have died of COVID-19 in the last one week.
On Tuesday, November 3, Kenya recorded 492 new COVID-19 infections from 3,728 samples. The country’s caseload is now at 57,093, Health ministry said.
Twelve more patients succumbed to the disease, pushing the country’s death toll to 1,039 as of November 3.
At the same time, 404 COVID-19 patients were declared healed from the disease, raising the total number of recoveries to 37,846.
