Seven die, 134 treated after cholera outbreak in Marsabit
Marsabit County Health Executive Jamma Wolde who on April 30, 2020 confirmed that seven people have as a result of a cholera outbreak in Illeret. PHOTO | JACOB WALTER | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- A child is among the casualties.
- Outbreak has been attributed to the interaction of the locals with the residents of Bubua in neighbouring Ethiopia.
- The disease has been blamed on the low standards of hygiene in the area.
Seven people have died following a cholera in Illeret Ward in North Horr, Marsabit County.
County Health Executive Jama Wolde Thursday said two people died in hospital while the other five died in different villages. A child is among the casualties.
Another 134 people have been treated and discharged since Tuesday.
“We can confirm that the illness that has killed seven people in Illeret Ward is cholera after carrying out rapid tests,” Dr Wolde said.
All the casualties exhibited cholera symptoms such as vomiting, watery diarrhoea in large volumes and dehydration.
ETHIOPIA EPICENTRE
The outbreak has been attributed to the interaction of the locals with the residents of Bubua in neighbouring Ethiopia which is the epicentre of the disease which was reported a week ago.
According to Dr Wolde, two cholera treatment centres have now been established at Illeret and Teresagai health centres to help arrest the situation.
The disease has been blamed on the low standards of hygiene in the area.
He said took time to be mitigated due to the acute shortage human resource at the two health centres.
Dr Wolde explained that the two facilities have only one nurse each.
He said that a coordinated effort has so far been put in place to avert further loss of lives as a team of experts comprising eight nurses and nutritionists has been dispatched to the area.
