Cholera feared as two die and scores hospitalised

Panic has gripped Gikuru and Kakawa villages, Mbeere South sub-county after an eight-year-old girl and a 60-year-old man succumbed to a disease with symptoms similar to cholera. The two died three days after complaining of excruciating pain in the stomach, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Embu County Health director Philip Masaulo said they had sent stool specimens to the national public health laboratory to ascertain whether those in hospitals are suffering from cholera or an acute case of typhoid after it emerged that three others are recuperating at various hospitals with similar symptoms.

Food hawking and mass feeding has been banned. Masaulo said a team of health officials had been mobilised to assess the situation and despatch drugs in anticipation of increased cases of diarrhoea. The residents also claim they have no clean drinking water since they only rely on untreated water from River Thiba.