Form four student dies of Covid-19 in Mumias as 10 others test positive

A female form four student at Lureko Secondary School in Mumias West Constituency has died of Covid-19 related complications.

Kakamega County Health Executive Dr Collins Matemba told The Standard that parents of the student have also tested positive for the virus and have been put on home-based care under close supervision.

“The student developed complications while at home and was taken to St Mary’s Mission Hospital in Mumias and later transferred to Lifecare Private Hospital in Bungoma.  But it was too little too late, she succumbed moments later,” Dr Matemba said.

Ten more students have contracted Covid-19 in the county according to Matemba. 

“A student from Mukumu Girls who had been admitted at St Elizabeth Mukumu Mission Hospital eloped with a boyfriend only for her samples taken earlier to test positive,” said Dr Matemba.

The official said efforts to trace the girl by the department of health have hit a snag.

“We have officers from the Public Health Officer (PHO) in the school on contact tracing mission to avert the spread of coronavirus in the institution,” said Mr Matemba.

Fridah Amwayi, the school principal confirmed that indeed the said student was taken to the Mission Hospital after she fell sick while in school.

“The girl fell sick and we suspected she could have contracted Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) or could be pregnant because she reported to school late when we opened only to be traced at her boyfriend’s place in Bungoma by her father who brought her to school,” said Ms Amwayi.

“We later realised she was unwell and took her to the hospital to be sure of what was happening to her, she was tested for coronavirus and the results turned positive, she is said to have been accompanied her sister out of the hospital,” said the teacher.

Ms Amwayi said she had contacted the student’s father over her whereabouts “and seemingly he knows where she is but he won’t disclose it to us.”

Dr Matemba said at least nine new cases of coronavirus have been reported at St Peter’s Boys in Mumias.

“Five of the infected students from St Peter’s Boys are at Likuyani isolation facility, three are undergoing treatment at Mumias Level 4 hospital isolation centre while one is on Home Based isolation,” argued Matemba.

Meanwhile, Matemba has dismissed claims that Matungu MP Justus Murunga could have died due to lack of oxygen.

“The MP collapsed at home and he was long dead by the time he arrived at St Mary’s Mumias Mission Hospital, which is a private facility and as a county, we don’t know whether it had the oxygen or not,” argued the official.

So far, 102 out of the 2, 800 health workers have contracted coronavirus in the county as of Friday last week according to Matemba.