Kenyan Man Whose Body Tested Positive for Covid-19 Hurriedly Buried at Night Under Heavy Security

Ernest Kosgei, a 55-year-old Kenyan man whose body tested positive for Covid-19 after he died at Longisa County Referral Hospital in Bomet last week has been buried under tight security.

Kosgei was admitted to the facility on May 4th after returning from Nairobi, where he had gone to seek treatment for diabetes but he died the next day.

Samples taken from his remains and sent to Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) in Kisumu for testing showed he was infected with Covid-19.

Kosgei was hurriedly buried at Kagawet village in Bomet on Wednesday night in a burial supervised by health officials and police.

A few family members were allowed to attend the funeral that took less than 25 minutes but they were instructed to stand at least 50 meters from the gravesite.

His body was escorted for burial from Longisa Referral Hospital mortuary by a police vehicle that used a siren to clear the way to the burial site, according to Citizen Digital.

Police officers arrived at the burial site as early as 6 pm to ensure villagers do not gather for any prayer or to witness the unusual funeral. 

Bomet county Health CEC Dr. Joseph Sitonik said although the graveside was fumigated in line with health guidelines it will remain under watch for a while.

16 family members who came into contact with the deceased were placed under mandatory quarantine at Kaplong Girls High School.