Nyahururu residents have expressed worry over increasing Covid-19 deaths and infection.
Isaac Muraga, a resident of Gwa Kung’u in Ndaragwa, said the area has had daily Covid-19-related burials for the past three weeks.
“We buried my grandfather last week on Thursday because of Covid-19. On Tuesday this week, I buried my uncle because of Covid-19 and I have two other relatives in hospital in Nairobi because Covid-19," he said.
“When you check the white markings on the access roads, they indicate the direction to a particular homestead. That tells you that there will be a burial, or one has just happened.
"Many of these burials are Covid-19-related. Some people were living elsewhere and they came to get buried here because they own land here, while others are people we have known who succumbed to Covid-19."
Another resident of Mairo-Inya identified only as Jane said they have buried four of her close relatives because of Covid-19 since mid-July.
“Since last month, we have had four burials of my relatives here. They were all Covid-19-related deaths. We are actually worried as a family because many villagers were afraid of coming to support us for fear of contracting Covid-19,” she said.
Wanjeri, a coffin seller near Nyahururu town, said it was a bittersweet situation. While her business is making money, seeing families in agony is distressing, she said.
Kenya Red Cross Nyahururu branch administrator Jackeline Muthoni noted that they had to increase the number of first aiders to cater to the increasing demand for the services they offer during funerals.
“Our first aiders are being booked every day to go offer services in many burials that are happening everywhere in Nyahururu. We have had to recruit more volunteers and first aiders to go offer first aid in funerals. Many of these funerals are Covid-19 related,” she said.
“We have therefore trained our team specifically on how to conduct first aid amid the Covid-19 pandemic. We have special protective gear and we ensure we offer masks and sanitiser to the mourners,” Muthoni said.
According to Nyahururu Referral Hospital morgue administrator Jeniffer Kamau, they have released at least two bodies a day of people who succumbed to Covid-19 in the past two weeks.
Edited by Henry Makori
