Five cases of cholera reported in Naivasha, health officials remain silent

A health worker disinfects a homestead at Kabati Estate in Naivasha town after an outbreak of cholera in 2015. Five people are undergoing treatment at the Naivasha Sub County hospital. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A public health official told the Nation that the patients were responding well to treatment.
  • Medical personnel say that the numbers could rise due to the ongoing heavy rains.
  • A minor has been isolated to avoid further spread of the disease.

At least five cases of cholera have been reported in Naivasha town.

The patients from Kihoto, an informal settlement in the town, are undergoing treatment at Naivasha Sub-County hospital even as the county health department remains quiet on the matter.

A public health official, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Tuesday, told the Nation that the patients were responding well to treatment.

The official said that they were working round the clock to stop any spread of the disease. He said the county health department had disinfected houses the victims' houses and distributed chlorine tablets to the Kihoto residents.

Nakuru County Public Health Officer Samuel King’ori, who was reluctant to talk about the cholera outbreak, said he was in Nairobi for official matters.

RAISED CONCERN

He instead referred the reporter to Nakuru County Chief Officer of Health Samuel Mwaura who could not be reached on phone.

Medical personnel say that the numbers could rise due to the ongoing heavy rains.

“The first case was reported last week. In the latest case, a minor from Kihoto Estate, home to hundreds of flower farmers, was admitted at the Naivasha Sub-County hospital,” said a medic who sought anonymity.

INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

He revealed that the four-year-old child had been isolated to avoid further spread of the disease. The Nation has learnt that three other minors have been treated for cholera at the hospital.

In 2015, cholera claimed 17 lives while 298 cases were reported in the county.

Most affected areas were informal settlements in Nakuru and Naivasha towns.

The county has since set up three cholera treatment centres in Langalanga, Rhonda and Rongai.