COVID-19: WHO advises on healthy diets, testing; Kenya’s tally rises to 1,286

Eating healthy diet is important during the COVID-19 pandemic as food and drink can affect the body’s ability to prevent, fight and recover from infections, says the World Health Organisation (WHO).
WHO said this in a statement on Monday from Geneva.
It said that no food or dietary supplements can prevent or cure COVID-19 infection, adding that healthy diets are important for supporting immune systems.
“Good nutrition can also reduce the likelihood of developing other health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer,” it said.
WHO said that for babies, a healthy diet means exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months, with the introduction of nutritious and safe foods to complement breastmilk from six months to two years and beyond.
“For young children, a healthy and balanced diet is essential for growth and development. For older people, it can help to ensure healthier and more active lives,” it said.
The health agency gave tips for maintaining a healthy diet, stressing that consumption of variety of food, including fruits and vegetables was nutritious.
“Every day, eat a mix of wholegrains like wheat, maize and rice, legumes like lentils and beans, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, with some foods from animal sources like meat, fish, eggs and milk.
“Choose wholegrain foods like unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice when you can; they are rich in valuable fibre and can help you feel full for longer.
“For snacks, choose raw vegetables, fresh fruit and unsalted nuts,” it said.
It advised that salt intake should be reduced, adding that it should be limited to five grammes, equivalent to a teaspoon a day.
WHO advised that moderate amounts of fats and oils should be eaten, saying that replace butter, ghee and lard with healthier fats like olive, soy, sunflower or corn oil when cooking.
“Choose white meats like poultry and fish which are generally lower in fats than red meat; trim meat of visible fat and limit the consumption of processed meats.
“Select low-fat or reduced-fat versions of milk and dairy products; and avoid processed, baked and fried foods that contain industrially produced trans-fat.
“Try steaming or boiling instead of frying food when cooking,” it said.
WHO added that intake of sweets and sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, fruit juices, liquid and powder concentrates, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, ready-to-drink tea and coffee and flavoured milk drinks should be limited.
“Choose fresh fruits instead of sweet snacks such as cookies, cakes and chocolate. When other dessert options are chosen, ensure that they are low in sugar and consume small portions.
“Avoid giving sugary foods to children. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods given to children under two years of age, and should be limited beyond that age,” it said.
The health agency advised that people should stay hydrated by drinking enough water, adding that good hydration was crucial for optimal health.
“Drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages is a simple way to limit your intake of sugar and excess calories,” it said.
It advised people to avoid hazardous and harmful alcohol use, stressing that alcohol was not part of healthy diet.
“Drinking alcohol does not protect against COVID-19 and can be dangerous,” it warned.
WHO maintained that frequent or excessive alcohol consumption increases immediate risk of injury, as well as causing longer-term effects like liver damage, cancer, heart disease and mental illness.
“There is no safe level of alcohol consumption,” it said.
WHO also said Africa has so far been spared the worst impact of the coronavirus, but is worried the continent could face a “silent epidemic” if its leaders fail to prioritise testing for it.
“My first point for Africa, my first concern, is that a lack of testing is leading to a silent epidemic in Africa.
“So, we must continue to push leaders to prioritise testing,” WHO Special Envoy Samba Sow, told a news conference in Geneva on Monday.
The WHO’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Africa was the region with the fewest diagnosed coronavirus cases, accounting for less than 1.5 per cent of the global total and just 0.1per cent of deaths.
The WHO regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said some countries had taken measures to curb the disease at a high economic cost.
Those measures meant the pandemic was having a milder impact so far than some models had predicted, Moeti said.
Tedros credited the continent’s experience dealing with other epidemics as helping it scale up its response to the coronavirus and be spared the impact seen elsewhere so far.
All African countries had preparedness plans in place, he said, although there were still “gaps and vulnerabilities”.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Ministry of Health, on Monday, confirmed 72 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 1,286.
Mercy Mwangangi, Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Health, said that the latest cases were detected from 2,711 samples, which were tested in the last 24 hours.
Mwangangi said that 70 of the latest patients are Kenyans, while the other two are foreigners from Uganda and Somalia respectively.
She said nine patients were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries to 392.
Mwangangi said one person died from the deadly respiratory disease, bringing the total number of fatalities to 52.
The East African nation has so far tested 61,971 from 20 national laboratories that are strategically located in critical areas across the country.
The Kenyan Government has developed several nutrition guidelines to keep populations healthy, banned movements in and out of the disease hotspots, suspended learning and banned international as well as domestic flights to help curtail the spread of the virus.
The government has also trained 11,000 health care workers and 60,000 community health workers across the country.