Cholera outbreak in now Mandera contained, medics say

Cholera patients at the MFS treatment centre in Mandera on June 15, 2016. MFS team leader Ahmed Garat has said that the cholera outbreak that has ravaged Mandera County for the past three months has been contained. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Garat said 10 people were admitted on Tuesday night but they were out of danger.
  • He said six deaths have been recorded at their centre within four weeks.
  • According to MSF, poor waste management by the Mandera County government is to blame for the outbreak.
  • An unknown number of patients are admitted to the second cholera treatment centre set up at Moi Stadium in Mandera.

The cholera outbreak that has ravaged Mandera County for the past three months has been contained, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International team leader Ahmed Garat has said.

Medics from MFS, a non-governmental organisation and one of the medical partners, have been camping in Mandera to help control the disease that has claimed 19 lives and affected over 1200 others.

By Wednesday, only 27 patients were being treated at a cholera centre managed by MFS.

Several other people are believed to have died in the remote villages.

“In the past we have been receiving up to 70 patients in a day but now things are different as we receive less than 20 people,” Mr Garat said.

He said 10 people were admitted on Tuesday night but they were out of danger.

“This shows that [soon] we will have dealt with the cholera crisis in Mandera,” he said.

POOR WASTE MANAGEMENT

According to MSF, poor waste management by the Mandera County government is to blame for the outbreak.

“We are hoping that efforts are being concentrated at the village level in improving hygiene to avoid recurrence of the situation.

“Our centre has been segregating and treating patients while other actors engage the community at the village level in hygiene issues,” said Mr Garat.

He said six deaths have been recorded at their centre within four weeks.

An unknown number of patients are admitted to the second cholera treatment centre set up at Moi Stadium in Mandera and manned by Kenya Red Cross Society.

“We have quite a number coming in, mostly from Bula Mpya and Komor villages, but more information shall be available tomorrow (Thursday),” said a source at the centre.

County health officials could not be reached for comment as their phones went unanswered.