Cholera death toll jumps to 53 as two more die in Kisumu and 24 are hospitalised

Two people have died and 24 others admitted to hospitals in Ahero, Kisumu County, following a cholera outbreak.

In the same area, 30 food kiosks have been closed to reduce the spread of the disease.

The national death toll of the disease has risen to 53 while 2,732 cases have been confirmed countrywide.

The two died Monday evening after they were admitted to hospitals, suffering from acute diarrhoea.

Ms Anne Wendi Omondi, who lost her son, told Nation.co.ke that he developed the symptoms in the morning before leaving for school.

The son, she said, had diarrhoea for the better part of the night because his beddings were soiled and his eyelids were pale.

SECLUDED WARD

“We rushed him to the health centre only to be told that he was suffering from cholera. We were, however, not allowed into the secluded ward because it was full of patients suspected to be suffering from cholera," she said.

Mr James Odhiambo,33, showed the same symptoms and is suspected to have died of the water-borne disease.

Ms Elizabeth Atieno, his mother, said he died of severe dehydration.

“He went to a funeral (and feasted) only to complain of severe stomach-ache on his arrival, and after sometime, he had a severe diarrhoea and vomiting. On arrival at the hospital, he died,” she said.

She said she initially thought his son had been poisoned only to be told by the doctor that he had cholera.

DISEASE IS HERE

“It is my fear that the disease is here with us, if we do not taker precaution, I am afraid that it might kill more of our people,” she said

Dr Rosemary Obara, who works for the Ministry of Health, reported that as from Monday, they had registered 24 cases with signs of cholera.

She blamed on poor hygiene of the area.

However, Dr Ojwang Lusi, the Kisumu County Chief Officer for Health, denied that the victims died of cholera, saying results of their test had turned negative.

He said the patients were suffering from bacteria called Salmonela.