How mourners took seven virus cases to Siaya county

Virus positive man travelled from Kibera to Siaya with forged documents.

In Summary

• Kagwe said the police officers thought the forged documents were genuine and gave way to the mourners to travel through roadblocks.

• ".. the seven mourners are all positive and were identified by contact teams in Siaya. There is a reason why we lock down places..." he said.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe during the daily Covid-19 briefing at Afya House on May 21, 2020.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe during the daily Covid-19 briefing at Afya House on May 21, 2020.
Image: MERCY MUMO

A coronavirus patient who left with mourners from Kibera has led to seven virus infections in Siaya county.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said a Kenyan from Kibera left for a burial without the authority to travel.

"There are seven new cases in Siaya and the story is a sad one because the departure point of that case is Kibera," Kagwe said on Thursday.

 

"...you are in Kibera and leave for a burial without the authority or travel document signed."

Kagwe said the police officers thought the forged documents were genuine and gave way to the mourners to travel through roadblocks.

".. the seven mourners are all positive and were identified by contact teams in Siaya. There is a reason why we lock down places..." he said.

Kagwe said that instead of going to the burial to bury one, they might suffer the same fate.

"We are not sure whether they will survive it or not. It was totally unnecessary."

Kenya's Covid-19 cases have risen to 1,109, with 80 new cases recorded.

This is from a sample size of 3,102 tested in the last 24 hours. This is the largest sample size that has been tested.

Kagwe on Thursday said Kenya has increased its testing capacity by 40 per cent in the last two weeks.

Of the new cases, 41 are from Nairobi, while 20 are from Mombasa.

A total of 13 new cases are from Kibera. The youngest new Covid-19 case is a six-month-old baby.

Another nine patients were discharged, bringing the total of those who have recovered to 375.

There were no new deaths - the number remains at 50.

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