Anxiety over dead officer's Covid-19 test results

Anxiety has continued to grip officers at Bondo Police Station, neighbouring offices and residential areas as they await results of Covid-19 tests carried out on the area OCPD Anthony Wafula who died after visiting Bondo Sub-County hospital on Monday.

According to an earlier police report, the officer was rushed to the facility after developing fever and breathing difficulty.

He is said to have returned his children to Nairobi immediately after the partial lockdown was lifted.

Since then, he had been feeling a little unwell until on Monday night when his condition deteriorated. He reportedly went to the hospital at around 11pm before he succumbed two hours later.

Siaya County Police Commander Francis Kooli confirmed his death, noting that samples were picked from the late officer’s body and taken to the KEMRI lab in Kisumu for testing to ascertain the cause of his death.

But on Wednesday, Wafula’s wife Dorice Godhana who appeared to disagree with a suspicion of a Covid-19 related death said they are still waiting for the results.

“There’s no clarity on when we’re going to get the results because they have been taking us in rounds,” said Godhana, adding that they are yet to make funeral arrangements.

The widow, who says that she talked with the officer on Monday before he died, said that he had only complained of chest pains.

She added, “If indeed my husband had difficulty in breathing, he should have been put on oxygen since this was now an emergency.”

She further questioned why those whom he (the officer) came into contact with have not been tested.

On Tuesday, the public were not allowed to view his body at the mortuary as health officials fumigated the police station.

According to officers who spoke to The Standard, they have been ensuring that the regulations put in place to avoid the spread of the virus to the station are strictly followed, revealing that they had been regularly disinfecting the institution’s critical areas such as cells and offices.

By David Njaaga 19 mins ago
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