Grief as Mother, Daughter & Son Die in One Week

During the funeral ceremony of the late Tom Kilonzo Ileve in Kitui County.
During the funeral ceremony of the late Tom Kilonzo Ileve in Kitui County.
File

Residents of Kwa Vonza location in Kitui County, are reeling from grief after three members of one family passed away in quick succession.

The tragedy began with the demise of Tom Kilonzo Ileve who was a Kenya Revenue Authority official attached to the customs department in Mombasa. He arrived on October 16, from the Coast but was rushed to Neema hospital in Kitui where he died shortly after.

According to area chief Ronald Mbuvi, Kilonzo had developed chest complications after arriving home from the coast region, one of the Covid-19 hotspots. 

Police officers pictured at a scene of a crime as residents look on.
Police officers pictured at a scene of a crime in Nairobi County as residents look on.
File

"Kilonzo had issues with chest complications as soon as he arrived from the coast. The family rushed him to the hospital but he died hours later. He was buried on Saturday, " Mbuvi recalled.

24 hours later, Kilonzo's elder sister Domitila Munyoki Ileve, also was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to illness hours later. Family relatives had alluded to the sister being diabetic. As the family began burial preparations for Munyoki, her mother Anne Nzisiva Ileve developed breathing problems and also complained of headaches and high fever.

She was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. County Health chief officer Richard Muthoka, delved deep into the matter stating that medical officers are probing whether the three deaths ensued from Covid-19 complications. 

“The two bodies (the mother and the daughter) will be examined to rule out the doubts and fears surrounding the deaths. The three had interacted with one another,” Muthoka stated.

Health authorities launched medical investigations to probe the cause of the deaths. Muthoka also stated that the health officials had collected samples from more than 20 people suspected to have come into contact with the Ileves.

He also urged the residents who came into contact with the three family members to present themselves to the health offices for testing.

Over the past few weeks, Kitui cases have been on the rise with the Ministry of Health alluding to measures being put in place to curb the spread of the virus.

In a statement on Tuesday, October 27, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced 50, 833 cases from a sample of 4,076. The positivity rate now stands at 20.5 percent, up from the 4.4 percent in September when President Uhuru Kenyatta opened up more sectors of the economy.

14 patients succumbed to the disease bringing the total number of deaths to 934. 

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe addressing the Nation about Corona Virus outside Afya House on March 17, 2020.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe addressing the Nation about Corona Virus outside Afya House on March 17, 2020.
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke

 

  • . . . . . . .