A Form Four student of Muumandu Secondary School, Machakos County has tested positive for Covid-19 while 16 people who interacted with him have been put in isolation.
The student was taken to his home at Kee village in Kaiti sub-county, Makueni County by the medical team. On Thursday, October 22, the school principal, Patrick Mwangangi wrote a letter to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) stating that four of the teachers who taught the student had self quarantined for 14 days.
“The teachers’ samples were taken for testing. Twelve students who shared classes and a dormitory with the boy were tested and put in isolation,” read part of the letter.
He added that the medical officers were prompt in their response to prevent the virus from spreading. Within two days after the case was confirmed, the medical personnel had disinfected the school and also educated teachers and support staff on measures to curb the spread of the virus.
Machakos Health executive, Ancent Kituku affirmed the preparedness of schools within the county in regards to combating the virus. Mr Kituku spoke to Nation and confirmed Covid-19 cases within two schools in the county. He, however, said all the patients are asymptomatic.
“I caution the public, especially those on social media, against publishing patients’ names to prevent stigmatisation and anxiety as this can lead to many other problems,” Kituku said.
There has been a concern after students in various schools tested positive for Covid-19 days after resuming classes in a phased reopening by the Ministry of Education.
Nandi County Health Executive Ruth Koech confirmed a case at Kabote SDA Secondary school in Nandi Hills, the student was taken to an isolation centre.
In a separate incident, A form four student at St Peter's Boys in Kakamega county was admitted to an isolation centre in Mumias after he tested positive for the virus.
The Ministry of Health previously warned that patients with underlying conditions are more prone to contracting the virus. Some schools are still grappling with how they will be able to practice social distancing, bearing in mind that some institutions have many students but limited dormitory and dining hall spaces.
The Acting Director-General of Health Dr Patrick Amoth on October 14, outlined the measures the government is putting in place to handle Covid-19 cases that may arise after schools reopened.
In an interactive session on Twitter, Dr Amoth explained that the Ministry had put a surveillance system in place to monitor Covid-19 cases in schools.
Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi, on Thursday, October 22, stated that the rising infections should not be a cause of worry among parents, saying that it was expected that some of the individuals in the learning institutions would contract the virus.
She added that the Ministry had sent out a number of doctors to the affected schools to determine the extent of the cases.
