Cholera outbreak: Five more hospitalised in Turkana

Five more people were admitted to hospital with cholera bringing the total confirmed cases in Turkana to 21, officials said.

Turkana County Health Executive Jane Ajele said the new patients are receiving treatment at Kakuma Mission Hospital.

Ms Ajele added that out of the 21 confirmed cases 13 patients were treated and discharged from hospital.

"We have not lost any patient to the disease," Ms Ajele said.

Ms Ajele said the outbreak is affecting Kakuma Refugee Camp and the neighbouring community because of water shortage in Turkana West.

She added that officials have distributed clean water to 700 households.

"We have deployed public health officers to carry out assessment of sanitation in the affected areas and water sources are also being treated," the county official said.

Ms Ajele said that the latest active cholera cases were traced to Nalemsokon village as origin.

A total of 98 people who were identified as immediate contacts of the cholera patients were given prophylaxis, a preventive medicine.

Ms Arukudi Arupe, a resident of Morung'ole village, said that lack of reliable water supply in Kakuma and nearby villages is to blame for the frequent cholera outbreak of  in the sub-county.

"I urge all the stakeholders, including the county and national governments as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to come up with a lasting solution to the water crisis in Turkana West." Ms Arupe said.

She said families in Kakuma town are digging holes near seasonal rivers such as River Tarach in search for water.