Health officials are worried over the spike in Covid-19 infections in Isiolo where residents like in other parts of the country have relaxed on observing the health guidelines on hygiene, social distancing and wearing of face masks.
The county has in past one week reported 40 cases that include senior police officers, county staff and assembly officials and a nurse, who worked at Isiolo Referral Hospital, succumbed last week while being rushed to Nairobi for Intensive Care Unit services.
Recent developments where the county secretary and assembly offices were closed for two weeks after some five officials tested positive for the disease continues to spread fear and panic among residents.
More horrified are MCAs and Assembly staff who frequent the offices where a male and female staff have tested positive and where fumigation was to start on Friday.
Among those who have already exhibited Corona-like symptoms at the Assembly building, the Press Point is aware, is a female staff stationed at the office of a senior county official who operates from there.
“The officers who have tested positive are very critical and we are worried because we have interacted with them in the past few days. I am self-isolating at home,” an assembly staff told the Press Point.
A county executive and chief officer recently infected with the disease have already recovered and resumed work.
The Press Point is aware that a Director in the Isiolo County Government days ago tested positive of the disease.
Police officers at Isiolo Police Station are in fear following infections among their bosses. At least four senior officers have tested positive and are currently on isolation.
“It started with one officer then three others who physically interacted with him. We are very keen and avoiding a lot of contact,” a police officer hinted adding that they had been asked to volunteer for testing.
In a rather unfortunate scenario, the Press Point is aware that most of the infected staff are considering raising funds for medication as they fear being taken to the Referral Hospital where close to 10 health workers have so far been infected.
The recent death of the asthmatic nurse exposed the ill-preparedness of the Mohamed Kuti administration in dealing with critical patients.
Health workers who protested the death stormed the ICU centre at the Isiolo KMTC campus and established that it was non-functional and that it lacked personnel and some support machines.
Senator Dullo last week asked the government to close down the Referral Hospital claiming that it was not safe for patients.
The health workers lamented that they were being provided with poor quality personal protective equipment and that the provisions were not being done on regular basis.
“The masks we are given are of poor quality which exposes us to the disease considering we have to treat patients of all kind,” a nurse at the hospital said.
County staff experiencing symptoms similar to those of Coronavirus have been asked to self isolate and seek medical attention.
