Panic has gripped residents of Kagawet village in Bomet county after a man who had diabetes died of the novel coronavirus.
The 55-year-old patient identified as Ernest Kosgei died on Tuesday, May 5, at Longisa County Referral Hospital after which his samples were taken to Kisumu and found to be COVID-19 positive.
According to a police report on Wednesday, May 13, the incident was reported at Bomet Police Station by two health officials in the county.
“It was reported by Micah Koech, the public health officer Bomet county and Erick Mitei, disease surveillance coordinator Bomet Central sub-county, that one patient namely Ernest Kosgei aged 55 years of Kagawet village, Itembe Location about 5km west of station was admitted at Longisa County Referral Hospital on Monday, May 4, around 2000hrs having been diagonised of diabetes,”
“The patient died on Tuesday, May 5, at around 1300hrs after which samples were taken from him and tested at KEMRI in Kisumu which later turned positive of COVID-19. Today, Wednesday, May 13, at 00:30 hrs, his family contacts from his home village were traced and quarantined,” the police report read in part.
The police said Stella Kosgei aged 52, Dorcas Chepchirchir (27), Susan Kirui (22), Emmaculate Chebet (24), Brian Kirui (22), Mercy Kosgei (33) and Joyce (52) were quarantined at Kaplong Girls High School.
Others were: Ali Kosgei (63), Ogot Chepkirui, Rony Kosgei , Meshack Kiptoo (nine years old), Abigael Chepkorir (seven years old), Abel Kipruto ( four years old), Angel Chepkorir (two years old) and Nilan Kipchirchir.It was alleged the deceased had travelled from Nairobi on the same date of admission in the said facility where he was escorted by his cousin named Geoffrey who is yet to be traced.
In April, 10 doctors and nurses at the same facility were quarantined in the same county after a 56-year-old woman suspected to have contracted the virus died.
