Kabarnet High halts classes as 38 students test positive

Kabarnet Boys High School in Baringo County has been converted to a temporary isolation centre, after 38 of its students tested positive for Covid-19

Baringo County Commissioner Henry Wafula said learning has since been suspended, as the school begins mass testing of all persons in the institution.

He revealed that they have isolated those who have tested positive adding that movements in and out of the school will remain restricted, save for healthcare workers.

We have isolated the boys in one dormitory, we have tested teachers and non-teaching staff, and those who are yet to be tested will be tested tomorrow, he said.

He added that the school conducted a random test of about 48 students after one of them tested positive for the virus last week.

“Samples were taken and out of 48 students, 38 were confirmed to have been infected,” said Wafula.

Kabarnet Boys High School is one of the oldest learning institutions in the country tracing its roots to pre-independence days. 

Over the years, the school located near Kabarnet Town, the headquarters of Baringo County, has produced some of the prominent public brains in various fields. 

They include Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani and Baringo North MP William Cheptumo. Former Baringo County Governor Benjamin Cheboi also traces his academic roots to the school. 

It is one of the few schools with more than four streams per class.

And speaking yesterday, the administrator said the county’s health department is set to fumigate the entire institution adding that students must exercise high levels of containment measures.

While calling for calm, he assured the public and parents that the situation is under control and all the infected students are recuperating.

“The school is not closed but has been converted to a temporary medical centre to attend to students, no need to panic,” added Wafula.

Learning institutions are turning out to be the latest hot spots for Covid-19, about a month since they resumed learning for Grade Four, Standard Eight and Form Four candidates

Several schools have been affected across Kenya, with some being closed indefinitely as others put their students, teachers and workers under quarantine. 

A number of schools since re-opening have reported increasing cases of infections with the highest being Bahati Girls High School in Nakuru County where 68 students tested positive.

On the other hand Kolanya Boys High School in Busia County recorded 52 cases among students, with six teachers and two non-teaching staffers testing positive for the virus. 

At the Coast, two schools, Star of the Sea and Tononoka High were closed on October 21 after several students and teachers tested positive. 

In Taita Taveta County, Voi Primary School was closed early in the week raising fears of mass infections among Grade Four and Class Eight learners and other staff at the institution. 

In October, 10 students from Maranda High School tested positive for Covid-19.