Kenya on Saturday reported 1,211 new COVID-19 infections, taking its total virus tally to 76,404.

The country's ministry of health also announced 17 new deaths recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the country's total death toll to 1,211.

Kenya is one of only eight African countries that have registered more than 70,000 COVID-19 infections.

The east African nation's caseload is the seventh-highest, only shadowed by South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Libya.

Its death toll is also the seventh-highest in Africa.

Kenya's new daily cases have remained on a steady high since October, following a government move to ease COVID-19 restrictions.

The health ministry has in the past warned of a possible re-introduction of stricter measures if the virus situation deteriorates further.