Robert Sumbi, Kakamega County Chief of Staff, has succumbed to COVID-19, the family said.
His death comes a day after the county headquarters was shut down following reports that 57 health workers tested positive for the virus.
The spike in COVID-19 cases prompted Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to issue a directive that all county government workers undergo mandatory testing.
He revealed that Kakamega had so far confirmed 316 cases.
On Wednesday, 155 people were still in isolation while seven were said to have succumbed to the disease.
The Governor who doubles up as the Council of Governors Chairperson lamented that the county is in shortage of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) experts.
According to him, the presently available isolation centres in the county – Kakamega Referral Hospital and Likuyani – are already full.
“We now order law enforcement officers within the county, including police, to arrest anybody found breaking COVID-19 regulations including wearing of masks,” he said.
