Cholera cases climb to 63 with ten deaths

A health officer attending to a cholera patient at Rift valley Provincial General Hopital,Nakuru on April 30,2015

New cases of cholera have been reported in Nakuru town despite efforts by the county health department to arrest the outbreak, which has claimed 10 lives.

Health Executive Kabii Mungai yesterday said another person died from the disease on Saturday as new cases were reported in Bahati sub-county.

"Total number of cholera cases reported in Nakuru county has now reached 63. Ten have so far died, while others are receiving treatment in various health facilities," said Dr Mungai.

Mungai said a team of public health officers have embarked on awareness campaign to help curb the outbreak, which was first reported in parts of Ponda Mali, Kwa Rhonda, Kiti and Kenlands estates.

He said Nakuru Water Services and Sewerage Company has been directed to enhance water treatment.

The county government has also received 183,000 chlorine tablets from Kenya Red Cross, which will be distributed to residents for water treatment.

DRASTIC MEASURES

"The county government has opened cholera treatment centre at Langa Langa to avoid congestion at the general facility that is currently overwhelmed," said the county executive.

Kabii added that sewerage and drainage systems are also being repaired in Ponda Mali and Bondeni estate to ensure proper waste disposal.

County Public health officer Samuel Kingori maintained that the ban on food hawking in estates and at the town's CBD is still in force.

"The county health department is worried about safety of the food being sold in open air markets. We are going to close down all illegal food joints to curb the spread of the disease," he said.