Cholera death toll rises to 65 as Nakuru, city worst affected
What you need to know:
- The outbreak began last December across 10 counties, but Nakuru only reported cases about a month ago.
- Head of Preventative and Promotive Health Service Jack Kioko said the situation in Nakuru was “unacceptable” and “alarming”.
- The ministry said it had contained the bacterial infection in Bomet, Homa Bay and Migori.
The cholera death toll now stands at 65, with 3,223 cases confirmed, according to the Ministry of Health.
Nakuru and Nairobi are the worst affected, with 16 deaths each.
The outbreak began last December across 10 counties, but Nakuru only reported cases about a month ago.
Head of Preventative and Promotive Health Service Jack Kioko said the situation in Nakuru was “unacceptable” and “alarming”.
“Cholera is preventable but we are losing lives. The cases in Nakuru in a month are very worrying,” he told the Nation by phone.
The outbreak is in 11 counties and no other region has reported a case, according to the official. Mombasa, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Baringo, Kiambu and Embu are the other affected counties.
The ministry said it had contained the bacterial infection in Bomet, Homa Bay and Migori.
Nearly 320 new cases were reported in the past one week: 97 in Murang’a, 49 in Nakuru, six in Mombasa, 81 in Nairobi, 15 in Baringo, 49 in Embu, six in Kirinyaga and 10 in Kiambu. This is an increase from the previous week, when 226 new cases were reported.
Six new deaths occurred in the past one week, five in Nairobi and one in Nakuru.
The outbreak is attributed to poor hygiene and improper sewerage that have led to the contamination of water and food with the cholera bacterium, Vibrio cholerae.
The Head of Disease Surveillance and Response Division, Dr Ian Njeru, yesterday warned that the disease could spread to other counties.
He advised the public to uphold high hygienic conditions.
Tomorrow, health sector stakeholders, representatives from the 47 counties and ministry officials will meet in Nairobi to review the strategies to curtail the cholera outbreak.
The weatherman had predicted a looming cholera outbreak in the March-April-May long rains outlook.
The meteorological department asked health authorities to be vigilant and stock hospitals with necessary drugs in order to cope with “cholera, malnutrition, and malaria outbreaks in regions that are expected to receive enhanced rainfall”.
