25 cases of cholera reported at Kakuma Refugee Camp

An outbreak of cholera has been reported in Kakuma Refugee camp.

Turkana County Executive in charge of health and sanitation Jane Ajele said 25 cases have been confirmed at the camp.

She said those affected are mainly refugees from the Dinka Community who recently streamed in from South Sudan following tensions in the country.

Tested positive

“One of the refugees was unwell and when he was taken to hospital, he tested positive for cholera. He was then put under medication and has since recovered. When the others were tested, 25 of them were found to be infected,” said Ajele.

She added that a surveillance team was on the ground sensitising and treating those affected.

“A medical team is already at Nadapal border post screening new refugees before they come into the country. There is another team that is sensitising people in the camps and their neighbours on how they can protect themselves from getting the disease,” said the CEC.

She said all the cases had been treated and discharged and that no deaths have been reported.

The host community living near the camp has not been affected. According to Unicef’s Kenya Humanitarian Situation Report, a cholera outbreak had also been reported in Garissa and Tana River.

South Sudan reported an outbreak of cholera last year.

According to South Sudan’s Ministry of Health situational report, a cholera outbreak was confirmed in nine out of 28 states.

The most vulnerable are refugees displaced conflicts and famine.

According to Unicef, Kakuma Refugee camp is home to 169,203 refugees out of whom 90,406 are from South Sudan.

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