This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
Published on July 15, 2020, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has taken proactive measures to prepare for a potential surge in COVID-19 cases in the county.
As part of these efforts, the county government has identified two parcels of land, one in the Butere/Mumias region and the other in the northern parts of the county, to be used as burial grounds for COVID-19 victims.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony for three chief officers, Oparanya emphasized the need for the county to plan for the worst-case scenario, citing the example of the United States where a large number of people die in a single day.
He attributed the expected spike in cases to the easement of movement restrictions in Nairobi and Mombasa counties and the partial reopening of the economy by President Uhuru Kenyatta last week.
“With the traffic flows from Nairobi, which is the epicenter of the virus in the country, we expect the disease to hit the villages because of those returnees. That’s why we ask those returning from the city to quarantine themselves for at least 14 days before mingling with the village,” Oparanya urged.
The county is yet to meet the minimum isolation bed capacity of 300 and has not been sanctioned to carry out COVID-19 testing. Additionally, the county only has six ICU beds.
