Shock as Oparanya's chief of staff dies from Covid-19

Kakamega County chief of staff, Robert Sumbi, succumbed to Covid-19 on Thursday morning at the County General Hospital. 

He had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) five days ago. 

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala sent a message of condolence to the family and asked the county government to enhance enforcement of Covid-19 regulations by ensuring people wear masks and wash hands regularly.

“We are saddened by the death of Mr Sumbi. This is a grim reminder that we need to be cautious and stick to Covid-19 regulations to contain the spread of the infections in our region,” he said. 

The news comes just a day after Governor Wycliffe Oparanya announced closure of Kakamega County offices for seven days  after a recent surge in Covid-19 infections.

He also ordered county staff to get tested and for offices at county headquarters to be fumigated.

The day before that, Kakamega County Assembly sittings were suspended for two weeks after three MCAs contracted coronavirus.

Explosion of cases

The number of infections in Kakamega has risen to 316 since the first four cases of Covid-19 were reported in June. Seven people have died from the virus in the last five months. 

There are currently 154 patients admitted in hospitals across the devolved unit.

Mr Oparanya has encouraged residents to opt for home-based care in a bid to decongest health facilities that are now overstretched.

Reports indicate that the Shikusa prison and the neighbouring Shikusa Borstal prison have been hit by Covid-19.

Public health teams visited the facilities on Wednesday and collected samples for testing from inmates and children.

County Education director Dickson Ogonya said no new cases of coronavirus had been reported among students and teachers since a learner from St Peter’s Boys in Mumias was admitted to the isolation centre last week.

“We are closely monitoring the situation but no new case have been reported in our schools,” he said.