Siaya governor Cornell Rasanga has banned the ferrying of bodies of covid-19 victims into Siaya County for burial. While speaking during the launch of the sanitization booths in Siaya town, the governor said those who died in other counties because of coronavirus should be buried in those specific counties. He discouraged the bringing of bodies of covid-19 victims into the county for burial. Governor Rasanga said this move will reduce the spread of covid-19 in the county.
“We are only having problems with deaths that have occurred outside Siaya. The people who are accompanying the bodies should have a certificate showing they have been tested and found to be clean. If the death is as a result of coronavirus, bury that body out there. There is no need for you to bring the body and to bring misery and more deaths,” the governor said.
Additionally, the governor discouraged residents from attending burial ceremonies of non-family members. The county has reported an additional 7 new cases of coronavirus in the past week alone.
READ ALSO: 7 new coronavirus cases in Siaya were mourners who illegally travelled from Kibera
While speaking at Afya House on Thursday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced 7 new cases from Siaya. The 7 new coronavirus cases were mourners from Kibera who acquired illegal passes and travelled all the way to Siaya for a funeral. They were later intercepted by covid-19 contact teams in the county.
“There are also 7 new cases in Siaya. Somebody in Kibera, without the authority to authorize anybody to travel, signed a document that was respected by the police. (The passes) Took mourners all the way from Kibera to Siaya for a funeral. The mourners themselves were positive and were identified by our contact teams in that county. There is a reason why the government issued the directive of cessation of movement from Nairobi. This demonstrates exactly what we are trying to prevent,” CS Kagwe said.