A family in Mukurwe Gatanga in lower Murang’a is in agony after losing four family members to Covid-19 in a span of one week.
James Mwangi said his grandmother, father, brother to his father and another close relative succumbed to the virus and they have only managed to bury three of them.
He said the family has been overwhelmed by the loss and the hefty hospital bills they had to pay for the treatment of their kins.
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“We are being treated as outcasts. There is too much stigmatization towards our family and those others who have contracted the disease” he said.
“People have been avoiding coming home to console us and we have to do everything on our own,” he added.
Talking to the K24 Digital in Murang’a, Mwangi said several family members are fighting for their lives in hospital after contracting the virus.
He said they suspect one of the family members contracted the virus and spread it to others.
“It is very traumatizing and overwhelming to lose three family members in one week and the medical bills are also high. We are not able to settle them,” he added.
Three other people from the neighbouring Njaini sublocation have reportedly died after succumbing to the disease.
The deaths have prompted County executive officer for health Joseph Mbai to raise a red flag over the increased cases of Covid 19 among the residents.
Mbai said over the past week 21 people have tested positive for the virus, this being the highest to be recorded since the outbreak of the pandemic.
He said 31 patients have been admitted to Murang’a District Referral Hospital, 14 of them being in the Intensive Care Unit.
“Last week we had 10 patients only but the number has gone up to 31 and this only tells us that the disease is spreading very fast,” he said.
The officer said the county has introduced measures in the two sub-locations to curb the spread of the virus.
They include the closure of all bars, eateries to observe the guidelines given by the Ministry of Health, worship places to observe 1/3 capacity and maintain social distance and all markets to have adequate hand washing points.
He said the county in collaboration with the security agents shall form an enforcement team to ensure the residents adhere to the set measures.
He lamented that the residents have become reluctant in adhering to safety measures leading to the spike in positive cases.
“People have relaxed and no longer wear face masks and wash their hands despite the glaring danger of the virus” he added.
He also called upon the regulators in the transport sector to ensure the public service vehicles adhere to the safety measures pointing out that this is one of the spreading grounds for the virus.
