The Siaya County Government has launched a new 200 bed Covid-19 isolation facility at the County Referral Hospital to enhance its capacity to contain the virus in the region.
Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga officiated the ceremony and said that the county emergency response committee that he co-chairs together with Siaya County Commissioner Michael ole Tialal have observed that strict enforcement of the order will see the number of infections come down.
Increase spread of Covid -19 cases
The governor pointed out that the county had reported double digits of infections daily over the last three weeks, unlike in the past when the county would report very few cases within long intervals. To slow the spread of cases, the governor announced the immediate suspension of funeral night vigils and feasting in funerals to avoid crowding. All bodies will have to be buried within 24 hours of removal from mortuaries.
โThe last three weeks have seen Covid-19 cases shoot to 194 in Siaya, up from a total of 97 that had been recorded since the outbreak of the disease. We risk recording increased infections from the way we conduct our funerals and the committee has collectively agreed that we must do away with some practices,โ said Governor Rasanga.
Mr. Rasanga also cautioned the transport industry and boda bodaโs operators against flagrant disregard of existing rules, saying that any matatu or motorcycle found carrying passengers in disregard of the established rules will be impounded and its Sacco licence withdrawn.
Ole Tialal on his part hailed the National Government for supporting the construction of the three isolation centres at the Siaya Country Referral Hospital, Bondo and Ambira Sub-County hospitals to the tune of over Sh 90m.
