South African Woman Quarantined in Kenya over Covid-19 Commits Suicide

A South African national who had been quarantined at a facility in Nakuru County has allegedly committed suicide.

The 27-year-old Caucasian woman had been placed in isolation at the Kenya Industrial Training Institute (KITI) in Nakuru after arriving in the country from South Africa on March 25th, according to Nakuru Health CEC Dr. Kariuki Gichuki.

She was taken to the facility on Thursday in line with the government’s directive requiring all passengers arriving from abroad to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“She was discovered in her room today morning with initial police investigations pointing to suicide,” said Gichuki.

Confirming the incident, Rift-Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya said the woman hanged herself but further investigations have commenced.

The deceased is reported to have complained of the poor conditions at the quarantine facility. She reportedly hanged herself using cloth just above a double-decker bed.

“Yesterday evening she complained that the conditions are deplorable and had requested to be taken to a hotel for quarantine as she could afford but the health officials were hesitant,” one of the four people isolated at the facility told a local media.