'Already those who made close contacts with him including staff at the life-care hospital have been quarantined'
Image: JOHN NALIANYA
A Swiss-based university student who arrived in the country a week ago has tested positive for coronavirus.
The 19-year-old jetted in from Switzerland and took another flight from JKIA to Kisumu from where he boarded a matatu to his home village in Mumias.
He was taken ill days later after interacting with family members and villagers and was rushed to St Mary's Hospital in Mumias town before being transferred to Bungoma.
It is at the Bungoma hospital where he showed symptoms of coronavirus infection and was transferred to Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi where he tested positive.
Bungoma Health executive Antony Walela on Thursday said the test turned out positive.
“Already those who made close contacts with him including staff at the Life-Care hospital have been quarantined,” Walela said.
He said the national emergency team had moved to Mumias to trace contacts that the student had made in his village and in the town.
Walela said those arriving from foreign countries should self-quarantine to avert the spread of the virus.
“Whether you have exhibited symptoms or not, when you travel from abroad kindly follow the guidelines,” he said.
Elsewhere in Webuye, a Catholic priest and 12 nuns have been quarantined after it was established that they had contact with a priest who tested positive last week.
They made contact with Richard Oduor who presided over a funeral in Siaya and later conducted a mass in Sega.
The nuns are from St Joseph Coventry in Webuye. Oduor was later taken ill before testing positive for coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the department of disaster management in Bungoma has distributed 600 sanitary equipment to locals.
The move was part of the government’s efforts to combat the spread of the Covid-19 which has claimed over 20,000 lives across the world.
The County Emergency Response team distributed customised jerricans, liquid hand-washing soaps and sanitizers in all market centres and health centres across the county.
Bungoma county director for special programmes Carolyne Buyela urged residents to observe the guidelines issued to combat the coronavirus.
She said people should avoid activities that may jeopardise their health, including being in crowded places.
She also called for sobriety when using social media platforms to avoid sharing content that may cause unnecessary panic.
“Let us also avoid spreading falsehoods about this virus and instead educate each other based on facts provided by the government,” Buyela said.
edited by peter obuya