NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 4 – Nakuru County suffered the greatest number of coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic was reported in March 2020 after picking filing 196 deaths in August making it the darkest month yet.
Governor Lee Kinyanjui listed Naivasha, Nakuru Town East, Bahati and Gilgil as the hardest hit counties during a news conference on Friday.
Kinyanjui who was accompanied by County Executive Committee Member for Health, Gichuki Kariuki added that 2,005 people in the county tested positive for COVID-19 in August.
He observed that even rural sub-counties that had low fatalities and infection rates such as Kuresoi South and Kuresoi North also recorded a surge in infections and deaths.
“Kuresoi South lost a total of 31 people and this numbers indicate a surge in deaths and infections even in the interior parts of the county where the elderly population resides,” the county chief said.
He was concerned by the fact that 23.5 per cent of those affected were drawn from the education sector which includes teachers and learners.
“This means that there is a challenge in management of spread in this sector and a possibility that the teachers and students might spread it to the bigger families,” Governor Kinyanjui stated.
He revealed that medics had noticed that patients were seeking health care late due to self-diagnosis and medication.
“People are going to the hospital when it is rather too late for medical help and as a result, we have lost too many people,” said Kinyanjui.
He further observed that there was general laxity in observing the set COVID-19 prevention protocols coupled by the reversal of distancing measures in Public Service Vehicles (PSV).
“Washing of hands is not being done religiously, overloading of PSV and even the crew and passengers are not wearing masks,” the Governor said.
Governor Kinyanjui warned that the county in partnership with the Traffic Department would ensure compliance in the public sector and threatened to take lawbreakers off the road.
He noted that the pandemic situation was a great concern particularly to Naivasha which is considered a key conferencing hub in the country.
Kinyanjui said the county had activated its public health teams to conduct surveillance in conferences and ensure compliance of the set prevention protocols.
“The teams will be producing weekly reports to help the hotels in the conferencing circuit correct where there are lapses,” he said.