Four hospitalised after cholera outbreak in Busia

Four hospitalised after cholera outbreak in Busia County. FILE PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • The local leadership and ward administrators have been asked to enforce public health laws that include closure of food kiosks to help contain the situation.
  • Busia County Director of Public Health Mellissa Lutomia said that five more cases were referred to Port Victoria Hospital on Tuesday.

Four people have been hospitalised following cholera outbreak in Busia County.

County Health Executive Phaustine Barasa on Wednesday confirmed that two of the patients had been treated at Port Victoria Sub-County Hospital and discharged. She added that two more were treated at Rukala Health Centre in Bunyala sub-county.

“No deaths or new admissions have been reported, while those in the wards have stabilised,” said Mrs Barasa.

She added that active surveillance of the disease was on-going.

CONTAMINATED WATER

“The cholera outbreak might have been caused by contaminated water and floods in the region,” she added.

Busia County Director of Public Health Mellissa Lutomia said that five more cases were referred to Port Victoria Hospital on Tuesday.

“We are in contact with all hospital administrators who have informed us that the patients are responding well to treatment.”

Busia Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi said the county health department had dispatched a rapid response team to create cholera awareness to prevent any further spread of the disease.

VOLUNTEERS

“Community health volunteers have been directed to conduct health education, distribute chlorine and aqua tabs in the region,” he said.

The local leadership and ward administrators have been asked to enforce public health laws that include closure of food kiosks to help contain the situation.

A health officer has said efforts to contain the situation have been hampered by inadequate laboratory reagents, shortage of staff and impassable roads following the on-going rains.