17 relatives of Covid-19 victim refuse to take repeat tests in Siaya

17 relatives of Covid-19 victim refuse to take repeat tests

Brian Oruta

April 28, 2020 12:33 PM

The victim was buried at night

17 relatives of Covid-19 victim refuse to take repeat tests

17 relatives of James Oyugi who succumbed to Covid-19 have refused to take repeat tests for the deadly coronavirus disease.

According to Nation, the 17 who are quarantined the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Siaya accused the health officials at the facility of mistreating them.

James Oyugi’s burial caused an uproar in mid-April after a viral video showing his body being buried in a body bag, late in the night.

James Oyugi, Siaya man who was buried at night James Oyugi, Siaya man who was buried at night Pulse Live Kenya

The 59-year-old Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) employee had died at a local hospital in his Ukwala home in Siaya County, four days of arriving with his family from Mombasa.

In the video, a white pickup arrived at the home in the dead of night with three men donning white hazmat suits with other protective gear seated at the back.

Oyugi’s body was picked from the pickup and put into a grave that had already been dug in Oyugi’s compound and the burial lasted less than an hour.

Siaya County Emergency response team then gathered his family members and neighbours who had come into contact with Oyugi and took them into quarantine at the Siaya KMTC.

Oyugi’s family is also reported to have sued, demanding that his body be exhumed and be given a decent burial according to the WHO regulations.