A Form Four student at St Elizabeth Girls Lureko in Mumias West has succumbed to Covid-19.
The student died while receiving treatment at the Lifecare Hospital in Bungoma. She is suspected to have contracted the disease when she travelled home. Her parents have also tested positive.
The student’s death comes at a time schools in western region have reported a surge in infections among learners who are preparing for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination next year.
Kakamega County Executive for Health Dr Collins Matemba said the girl’s parents are currently on home-based care in Mumias West.
The student is reported to have travelled home before she fell sick and was rushed to St Mary's Mission Hospital in Mumias and later transferred to Lifecare Hospital after her condition worsened.
"We have sent public health teams to the school to monitor the situation and put in place measures to help deal with a surge in infections," said Dr Matemba.
At St Peter's Boys' Secondary School, nine students have been put on isolation after testing positive.
Three students from the school have been isolated at Mumias Hospital while five are on an isolation facility at Likuyani Level Four Hospital.
At the Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls, a Form Four student who fell sick and was later confirmed to have contracted the virus.
The student was admitted at the St Elizabeth Mission Hospital but she is reported to have sneaked out of the ward and her whereabouts are unknown.
"Samples were obtained from girl for testing and the results were positive. But unfortunately the student had sneaked out of the hospital ward and accompanied the boyfriend to undisclosed place. We are now doing contact tracing and putting in place measures to deal with situation," said Dr Matemba.
He said public health teams have been sent to the affected schools to monitor the situation and advise on measures to be put in place to contain the spread of the infection among learners and teachers.
In Vihiga County, six teachers have tested positive for Covid-19 raising the caseload in the devolved unit to 85, the latest situational report released by the health department shows.
The report released by Health County Executive Dr Amos Kutwa did not however reveal the schools where the six cases were reported, only indicating that all the patients are under home based care after receiving their test results.
County Director of Education Mrs Hellen Nyang'au confirmed and said the teachers isolated themselves and their contacts returned negative test results.
According to the report, three teachers are from Sabatia Sub County, two from Vihiga Sub County and one is from Hamisi Sub County.
The six are among the only remaining 11 active cases in the county after 71 recovered and three others succumbed to the disease.
Of the 85 cases, the report by Dr Kutwa shows that 15 are imported and 70 are local transmission. It is only Emuhaya Sub County that has not registered any positive case of Covid-19.
Mrs Nyang'au, the County Director of Education, said the teachers are recuperating at home after they received their results, further saying no student has been affected.
"All the learners, both in boarding and day schools, are being screened daily and the reports made available. We assure all the parents that their children are safe and we are vigilant," said Mrs Nyang'au.
