Kenya's health ministry on Thursday reported 829 new COVID-19 infections, the country's highest daily toll since the start of 2021.

With the new infections, the East African country's cumulative cases jumped to 111,185, just a day after the health minister declared the onset of a third wave of the virus.

The ministry of health also announced one new virus-related death, taking Kenya's total number of fatalities to 1,899.

Kenya virus load is the ninth-highest in Africa. Only the nine countries have reported more than 100,000 COVID-19 cases on the continent.

The country is awaiting a national address from President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday on the country's COVID-19 status.

Various government-imposed measures against the virus are set to lapse tomorrow, having been extended in January for a period of 60 days.

These measures include a nationwide nighttime curfew, a ban on large public gatherings and mandatory wearing of face coverings in public.

The president's speech also comes as the country will be marking one year since it announced its first case of the coronavirus. 

(With input from agencies)