Another 68 students test positive
Roy Lumbe and Noah Cheploen @PeopleDailyKe
Learning has been suspended at Bahati Girls Secondary School in Nakuru after 68 students tested positive for coronavirus.
The surge of infections among students and teachers has been a major concern since the partial reopening of schools last month.
However, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has moved to allay the fears, saying schools are the safest environment for learners.
In the Bahati Girls Secondary School case, five teachers and two subordinate staff have also tested positive, pushing the total number of positive cases to 75. The institution has 83 Form Four candidates.
County Public Health Chief Officer Dr Samuel King’ori confirmed that no learning will continue until the cases are contained and the school declared Covid-19 free.
King’ori also cautioned that no one will be allowed in or out of the institution, which has now been converted into a temporary isolation centre.
“I can confirm that no learning will be ongoing at the institution until further notice to avoid further spread ,” he said.
A student who developed some complications is being attended to at the Nakuru PGH Covid-19 Isolation and Management center. The parents have also been contacted.
Mandatory testing
“The student is admitted at Nakuru Level Five Hospital in stable condition. Her family is aware of the situation. I would like to call for tolerance among parents as we address the situation,” said King’ori.
Health Departnment has already dispatched a medical team to monitor the condition of the students and teachers in isolation.
The health official noted that they were forced to conduct a mandatory testing at the institution after a target identified three positive cases. Consequently, another positive case was identified at Kiamaina Primary School.
A team from the Health Department is spearheading Covid-19 prevention and management measures in learning institutions across the county.
“We have one pupil from Kiamaina Primary School who tested positive, however, he is under close monitoring and isolation.
Some 11 teams of healthcare personel are going round the county schools to ensure our children are safe,” he added.
King’ori hyas since urged residents to strictly adhere to the preventive measures issued by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to keep the virus that is wreaking havoc globally at bay.
In the county, out of a sample of 27,000 tested, only 3,000 have tested positive adding that 1,508 persons are on home-based care while 1,026 have recovered.
“Local hospitals are managing critically ill patients. Currently we have 34 patients admitted at various hospitals within the county,” said Kingori.
Learning institutions are turning out to be the latest hotspots for Covid-19, about a month since they were opened.
Several schools have been affected across Kenya, with some being closed indefinitely as others put their students, teachers and workers under quarantine.
A number of schools have reported increasing cases of infections with Kolanya Boys High School in Busia recording 52 cases among students with six teachers and two non-teaching staffers.
At the Coast, Star of the Sea and Tononoka High were closed on October 21 after several students and teachers tested positive.
In Taita Taveta, Voi Primary School was closed early in the week raising fears of mass infections among Grade Four and Class Eight learners and other staff at the institution.
On October 10, students from Maranda High School tested positive for Covid-19.
