This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
On August 4, 2020, a grave mistake was made in Vihiga county, Kisasi village, Shamakhokho location, where the body of a stranger was buried instead of that of Rev Linus Simwa, a cleric who had tested positive for Covid-19.
According to reports, mortuary attendants only realized the mistake after the family of the man whose body had already been buried came for the body and they could not find it.
They were surprised to see the body of the cleric at the morgue, despite him having tested positive for the virus.
Under World Health Organization guidelines, the government had recommended that the remains of patients who have succumbed to the virus be immediately buried.
However, in this case, the villagers had to perform several rituals before public health workers exhumed the body of the unidentified man at around 9pm.
