Migori family says 20 members have so far tested positive for COVID-19, not 48

A family in Migori County that had been reported as having 48 of its members infected with the coronavirus now says its only about 20 of them who have so far been confirmed to be COVID-19 positive.

“So far the report we have from the Ministry of Health, especially those who were tested here, is that they are not more than 20,” said Advocate Gordon Ogola, who is a member of the family.

Some of the infected family members are admitted at isolation facilities in Migori.

Ogola, who was speaking on Wednesday as his brother who succumbed to the virus was being buried,  further disclosed that their mother is admitted in the ICU battling COVID-19.

Citizen Digital understands that 48 members of the family had been picked up for testing and not all results are out.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe indicated that the chain of transmission in the said family was triggered by of one them who travelled to Migori from Nairobi, despite advice from the Health Ministry on people living in the Capital, which is the country’s epicentre for the disease, to avoid unnecessary travel upcountry.

The Health CS added that another person of the same family moved from Nairobi to Siaya where he infected his mother and others with the disease.

The said person then brought his mother to Nairobi but he succumbed to the disease while his mother is still undergoing treatment for the virus.

CS Kagwe has once again appealed on Kenyans to be extra cautious and protect their families from the disease which has no far claimed 391 in Kenya and left a case load of 23,873.

“COVID-19 is real. We have said it for a longtime… we don’t want you to take this disease to your parents, some have already. The only thing we can do now is urge those who have not please don’t do so,” said Kagwe.

“If you were skeptical before, now you know that people are dying and getting infected. Let us protect our parents and families. This virus has now spread to every part of the country.”

CS Kagwe: 48 members of the same family have contracted coronavirus…Somebody came to Migori from Nairobi starting the whole thing. Additionally, someone from Nairobi went to Siaya. He brought the mother to Nbi for treatment but he died.The mum is being treated… Covid-19 is real pic.twitter.com/oS1G50S2Hl

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 5, 2020

Meanwhile Kenya has recorded 671 more COVID-19 cases after testing of 6,200 samples, pushing the country’s total caseload to 23,873.

Addressing the press on Wednesday from Kenyatta University hospital, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe also announced that three more patients had succumbed to the coronavirus disease bringing the number of fatalities recorded in the country so far to 391.

Some 603 more patients have also recovered from the virus; 436 under the home-based care programme and 167 being discharged from hospitals, raising the total number of recoveries to 9,930.