*Siaya Thread*

It is a fact that apart from the Siaya case, the rest of the COVID fatalities in Kenya received decent or dignified burial. Why was the Siaya case different?

1. Man travelled from Mombasa against government repeated calls for people to avoid traveling upcountry.

2. Mombasa is the second worst hit Coronavius county after Nairobi.

3. Man got involved in an accident. He called relatives to assist with the accident. He never checked himself in hospital. Mark you, this is a KPA official who should know better. Mark you, he is 59 years old, and with a medical condition.

4. Man did not reveal to any of his minders that he had recently travelled from Mombasa. Never revealed to the healthcare staff at the 1st hospital (who are now on mandatory quarantine) and never revealed to the 2nd hospital (staff there are also on mandatory quarantine).

5. Man was only tested for COVID after second wife revealed they had come from Mombasa. By then, he was dead. By then, everyone had interacted with him.

6. Samples of man (now dead) returns positive for COVID. Government tells family they have to dispose body within 12 hours. Family digs grave on Saturday.

7. For some reason family never shows up to pick body on Saturday during the day. County government is informed body was never picked. County government is under instructions to dispose of the body. It is now Sunday at 2am.

8. Family is called. They had apparently bought a coffin, but never went to pick it. So, no coffin. COVID rule is that body can be disposed of in a body bag. That’s the available option.

9. Only three public health officers are available to dispose off the body, two to carry the body and one to disinfect it. Mark you, it is 2am on Sunday now.

10. Body arrives home. The public health officers are shown the grave that had been dug by family earlier in the day. They are just two people, they lower the body in the best possible way in the circumstances.

11. Ignore claims that the grave was shallow. That was the depth the family itself had dug. It was not dug by the government of Kenya or Siaya Governor Amoth Rasanga.

12. If we want decent and dignified burials then there is that maxim: he who expects equity should do/show equity. This man and this family did not reveal so much about his recent travel history and his pre-existing condition(s).

13. Because he didn’t, he has put more than 70 people so far in mandatory quarantine. Some of these people are essential medicare workers. Then there is the possibility that btwn Mombasa and Siaya, places he made stops, all these people are now potential cases of COVID.

14. To the dead we owe so little, to the living we owe so much. To ourselves we owe the truth. Let this be repeated, please don’t travel unnecessarily now. You risk putting so many lives in danger.

15. And if you must, please ensure at the earliest instance when you seek medical care, you reveal recent travel history to healthcare professionals.

16. Wash your hands regularly with soap and running water, or use alcohol based sanitizer.

17. Cover your Cough or Sneeze.

18. Where a face mask.

19. Keep social distance. Avoid crowded places. Stay at home. Be safe.

20. Follow government recommendations, directives, regulations and measures. Help flatten the curve!