Panic after Catholic Church priest taken ill in Siaya
Eric Juma
A Catholic Church priest in Ugunja, Siaya county, who tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday has been flown to Nairobi for further treatment.
The priest was among persons who interacted freely with Rome-based cleric, Father Richard Oduor, who attended the burial of a mother to a nun based at the Lwak Sisters Convent in Rarieda, Siaya county.
It is understood the government launched an unprecedented tracking exercise covering five counties where the visiting man of the cloth is said to have visited and interacted with the general public.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe while addressing his daily brief on the coronavirus pandemic confirmed clergyman, who had returned to the country from Rome, is at an isolation ward in Mbagathi hospital after testing positive for the virus.
“We have done contact tracing with people he had come into contact with,” Kagwe said.
A brother to the nun, Benard Odongo, who also attended the vigil and burial of their mother at Opondo Ragama Village in Ambira, Ugunja sub-county has opted for self-quarantine in Nairobi.
The Rome-based priest is said to have visited his brother at Utawala in Nairobi before he boarded an Easy Coach bus to Siaya.
“The priest had gone to the convent on March 11 where he picked the nun whom they drove with in the same vehicle to Ugunja and attended a night vigil before he led a sermon on Saturday and administered sacrament to 100 people,” said a priest who sought anonymity.
It is so ironical that the priest who made fun indicating that he was not infected by coronavirus ended up testing positive
“On Saturday evening, Richard went to visit Sega Catholic Church priest Godwin Omollo and dined and mingled with the family,” he said adding that the Sega worshippers were also served sacrament by the priest thus risking more lives.
Landed in Kenya
Siaya County Commissioner Michael ole Tialal said Father Oduor landed in Kenya on March 11 and slept in Utawala, Nairobi before proceeding to Ambira on March 13 to meet his family members.
Onyango later conducted a funeral mass on March 14 and proceeded to Sega where he slept in one of the priests’ house after which he then proceeded to Lwak Sisters Convent.
Ole Tialal directed officers who came into contact with the priests and their family members to undergo tests.
He also asked the priests in Sega, the nuns in Lwak Sisters Convent and the mourners who attended the funeral to quarantine themselves for two weeks.
Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi who had also attended the burial said he left the ceremony early before the priest arrived to conduct the burial.
Siaya Response Team
At the same time, Siaya Response Team is also tracing a man who came from India and rented a house in Ng’iya, Alego/Usonga constituency.
“The presence of the man in Ng’iya has sent panic in the centre,” said Governance Chief Officer Joseph Omondi.
Omondi disclosed that co-chairman of the response team Michael ole Tialal has ordered health personnel to trace the man in Ng’iya Centre.
Public Health Director, Eunice Fwaya, said it was a reality that Siaya has joined counties harbouring persons who had tested positive to Corona Virus and that more details would be released by Governor Cornel Rasanga.
Cases of coronavirus victims are being traced in Mbaga, Ng’iya, Lwak and Ugunja.
