More than 12 students have tested positive for Covid-19 in a secondary school in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The KCSE candidates of Chebiemit Boys Secondary school in Marakwet constituency tested positive for the virus last week and during the weekend, sparking fears of an exponential spread in learning institutions.
The first two positive cases of Covid-19 at the school, located along Iten-Kapsowar road less than a kilometre from Chebiemit trading centre, were reported on Wednesday last week but the numbers rose during the weekend after more samples were tested.
County public health director Mathews Kore on Tuesday said Covid-19 contact tracers have been tracking contacts since Friday, but noted that it has been difficult getting some contacts for testing.
Marakwet West deputy county commissioner Mathias Chishiambo said the 12 students have been placed in isolation within the school.
Chishiambo said students will be isolated within the school premises for the next two weeks, noting no teacher at the school tested positive.
“As a sub-county Covid-19 response committee, we resolved that the students will not be sent home because they will endanger the lives of parents and grandparents,” the commissioner said.
School Principal Leonard Kiprono said the first two cases were detected earlier last week after some students were taken to the nearby Chebiemit sub-county hospital for a medical check-up.
“We usually send our students to the sub-county hospital for check-ups. Afterwards, we were informed by the public health that there was a problem,” he said.
Elgeyo Marakwet County director of education Kituyi Masibo confirmed the incident but said he is not authorised to comment on the spread of Covid-19 in schools.
“Issues of Covid-19 and other diseases in schools can only be commented by Cabinet Secretary (George Magoha) and other top officials,” Masibo said when contacted by The Standard.
But a report at the County department of health indicates that the first two cases at the school were reported on Wednesday.
The two students had fallen ill, showing Covid-19-like symptoms but when they were tested the results turned positive, according to the health report.
